Super Mashiro
by PortugasVixen
Summary: Meet Mashiro 'Mushy' Shiitake, an average school boy who is obsessed with Nintendo. When his best friend gets kidnapped, he's going to need the help of Nintendo's greatest heroes to look for her and to find what it takes to be a true hero! Heavily inspired by the Tokyopop/Disney manga 'Kilala Princess' and the Nintendo/DiC show 'Captain N.' Characters (c) Nintendo, fic (c) me!
1. Meet Mashiro Shiitake

It was a warm and sunny school day in Sienma High. The halls were filled with the sounds of teachers speaking and pencils scratching on paper. In one room, however, the speaking and scratching were accompanied with 8-bit noises. This was room 64-A, math with Mr. Pitoro Kizayami.  
>As he taught his class, the sounds of jumping and coins slithered into his ears. He pointed to the back of the room.<br>"SHIITAKE-SAN!"  
>A dirty-blonde young man became startled by the yell. He was caught playing a video game in class!<br>"To Principal Ohoya's office. NOW!" he ordered.  
>The teen grabbed his stuff and walked out.<br>His name was Mashiro Shiitake, "Mushy" by his friends. He loved his friends like family, but most of all, he loved Nintendo. Playing it, reading it, watching it, he was obsessed. He usually wore his school uniform; a black jacket with matching plaid pants, a white shirt and a red tie, with a Smash Bros patch on his jacket. Each time he got in trouble, it was usually over playing his glacier Game Boy Advance during math.  
>At Principal Ohoya's office, Mashiro was being yelled at twice as hard.<br>"For Kami-sama's sake, Mashiro. This is the third time this week! When will you ever learn?" he asked angrily.  
>"I just love playing my Game Boy, sir." Mashiro spoke, sounding confident.<br>"It's against the school rules!" Ohoya barked.  
>"And what's with that horrid patch on your jacket?" he added, still sounding upset.<br>"Isn't it awesome? Super Smash Brothers kicks so much a-" Mashiro started.  
>"That's another rule broken! You're one strike away from being expelled!" he yelled again, getting some spit on Mashiro's face.<br>Mashiro lurched down the hallway after that scolding. As he walked, he found his best friend Ezra Belmont, and Reno Akato, who was a bit of a bully to him.  
>"Got caught playing your GBA again, huh, Shiitake?" Reno taunted, tossing Mashiro his own Mario-covered bag. It hit him right square on his torso.<br>"Nobody asked you, Reno!" Ezra defended, then turned to her male friend, "Come on, Mushy."  
>The two pedaled to a beachfront cliff, enjoying and relaxing to the view. A small, blue, winged Arceus-like creature emerged from Mashiro's bag.<br>"Come on out, Matsu." said Mashiro. Matsu flew and curled up on his shoulder, sleeping. After a short while of looking out to sea, Ezra broke the ice.  
>"Did you sign up for that Wii tournament?" she asked.<br>"Oh? Oh, yeah, I signed up. You know me." Mashiro smiled.  
>"Of course. I just hope the success of winning doesn't get to your head." she said to him.<br>"Why?" he asked.  
>"I wouldn't wanna lose my dearest and closest friend." Ezra replied, holding his hand.<br>Mashiro gave her a gentle, friendly hug. After a long minute, he broke it up.  
>"It's getting late. I better get going." he said, getting back on his bike.<br>"Alright. Bye, Mushy!" yelled Ezra, as she pedaled home.


	2. Royal Encounter

The next day, after yet another scolding from the principal, Mashiro pedaled home angrily. He muttered swears and threats under his breath. During his little fit, Matsu screeched like metal and flew to some bushes.  
>"Oh, Matsu, what now?" he snapped.<br>Matsu squeaked in reply. Mashiro parked his bike and ran to some bushes, where Matsu was.  
>"What do you-" he asked the Arceus-like critter, but his anger quickly turned to amazement, "Woah..."<br>There, layed amongst the bushes, was a young girl around his own age. She had long, pancake-brown hair, almost Rapunzel-like. Her clothing was dark pink lined with red. Surprisingly, she appeared to be unharmed. Mashiro decided to take her to his house and give her somewhere to stay. After a brief pedal home, Mashiro carried her threshold-style inside and into his room.  
>His room was covered wall to ceiling with Nintendo Power posters; his TV was surrounded with every console from NES to Wii. Nintendo Power issues were stacked randomly around the room. His bed had a pillow with Link on the case's fabric, a Mario comforter, and topped with several plushes of Pikachu.<br>He placed her gently on his bed, her head resting on the pillow and with the plushes. His face was tomato red just from looking at her, she was so beautiful.  
>The girl began to slowly woke up, but she didn't freak out like crazy. She constantly kept her cool.<br>"Wha-Where am I?" she asked. She then turned to him; her cool melted in a heartbeat.  
>"Commoner! You kidnapped me!" she yelled, tossing each of the PikaPlushes at him.<br>"Hey, quit it!" Mashiro ordered, trying to block the PokeBarrage.  
>"Where am I? Who are you? Answer me now!" the girl demanded.<br>"I-I'm Mashiro Shiitake." he answered, shaken from her little fit, "H-How about you?"  
>"Kokoro..." she muttered. As she turned on his bed, a silver controller-like plate with a matching chain fell out of her skirt pocket.<br>"What's this thing, Kokoro?" Mashiro asked, picking it up and placing it around his neck.  
>"I was on a quest to find a hero for my world, but I got sleepy and fell asleep on the grass." She answered.<br> 


	3. Stepping Into a New World

It had been a day since Kokoro stayed with Mashiro. Over a breakfast of omelet rice, she told him of a castle-like gate nestled somewhere deep.  
>"A gate?" he asked.<br>"Hai." she answered.  
>"Well, I do remember finding an old door in the forest behind the park." Mashiro told her, then added, "What does it do, anyway?"<br>"That must be it!" she said happily and added, "You'll have to see it."  
>After the two finished eating, Mashiro pedaled her to the park, which was completely empty. He braked the bike and followed her to a dark yellow door. They removed every square inch of vine and moss from it. Mashiro couldn't believe his eyes!<br>"It looks like the castle door from Super Mario World..." he thought, his eyes widened in amazement.  
>The door opened to a crumbling-like sound. The two stepped into the blinding light, unaware of what world they stepped into... <div> 


	4. Three Men and a Princess

Mashiro was asleep when he heard voices, ones that were very familiar to him.  
>"Who's this young boy?" asked a feminine voice gently.<br>"We found him laying outside." answered a male voice.  
>Another shushed them as Mashiro was waking up. All he saw were three blurry blobs; one red and blue, another green and blue, and the third pink. The blurs became clearer after he rubbed his eyes. They widened in amazement once more!<br>"A-Are you Mario, Luigi and Peach?" Mashiro asked nervously.  
>"How do you know our names?" Luigi asked back.<br>Mashiro froze, not giving them an answer. He was estatic!  
>'I must be dreaming. The Brothers and the princess, in the flesh.' he thought. The sound of coins sent him back to reality.<br>"I... don't know..." he answered finally.  
>"What's your name, young man? You know ours already." asked Peach tenderly.<br>"It's Mashiro Shiitake, but my friends call me 'Mushy.'" he answered, calming down a little.  
>The complementary-colored plumbers snickered at the mention of his nickname.<br>"Alright, 'Mushy.'" Luigi confirmed, trying to supress his snickering.  
>A green dinosaur in a red saddle and shoes ran into the room frantically.<br>"Yoshi, calm down. What is it?" Peach asked it, soothing the big-nosed reptile.  
>It began to make noises, mainly growling, evil laughter and a girl screaming.<br>Mashiro gasped, "Kokoro! Bowser must've grabbed her!"  
>Yoshi nodded quickly and motioned them to the door. As they caught up with him, Mashiro slipped and landed square on Yoshi's saddle. Yoshi continued to run to the castle, even while Mashiro was trying to get settled on it. After a few miles and getting the hang of riding it, he saw some yellow blocks.<br>"Mario, look!" Mashiro pointed to them.  
>"Yoshi!" Yoshi exclaimed.<br>"Well, we should stock up on mushrooms and flowers before we get to Bowser." Luigi pointed out.  
>Mashiro hit the block; one had a mushroom, another had a flower, but the last had a red Yoshi egg, which hatched and grew immediately. He got off Yoshi and got on the other. Mario followed and boarded on Yoshi.<br>"Let's go, everyone!" Mashiro yelled, the vermillion plumber and grassy dino charging towards the castle beside them. 


	5. Of Mushrooms and Men

Meanwhile, Kokoro was locked inside a large cage, with several Koopas surrounding it.  
>"Getting comfortable, Princess?" asked a gruff yet gravelly voice.<br>"Who's there?" Kokoro looked for the source of the voice.  
>A hulking turtle lurched forward. The spikes on its shell scratched the wall, sounding like nails on a chalkboard. With each step, the cage shook.<br>"I demand to know who locked me in here!" she yelled.  
>A Koopa with a star over its eye answered, "He's King Bowser, or as we Koopa Kids call him, King Dad!"<br>Bowser looked at Kokoro, then angrily hit one of them.  
>"This isn't the Princess!" he yelled.<br>"But she told us she was a princess." a Koopa in a pink bow and matching lipstick told him.  
>"It's true." Kokoro added.<br>"I guess you'll have to do." Bowser cackled and reached for her.  
>Mashiro and the others arrived before the Koopa could lay a single claw on her. He dismounted the red Yoshi and stood before him.<br>"Mashiro!" Kokoro exclaimed in glee.  
>"Surrender, Bowser, or die." Mashiro ordered to the intimidating iguana.<br>Bowser began to toast him, but he dodged each flame. Mario and Luigi followed him, flicking fireballs and jumping on his head. As Mashiro and the plumbers attacked the turtle, Mashiro found a glimmering ax.  
>'Just like in the first Mario game!' he thought and ran to it.<br>As he ran to the ax, Peach and the two Yoshis followed him, with the brothers last.  
>"Sayonara, Bowser!" Mashiro yelled before he chopped the bridge, sending the tremendous tortoise into the abyss.<br>The six stepped into the room behind them. There they found Kokoro, along a short mushroom-like man in white pants, a gold belt and a blue vest.  
>"Toad!" Peach shouted joyously.<br>"Kokoro!" Mashiro mimicked.  
>"Oh, thank you, guys! Bowser must've captured me instead of you, Peach." Toad said.<br>"Me too." Kokoro added and picked the lock, opening the cage door.  
>"Mushy?" asked Mario.<br>"Si?" answered Mashiro.  
>The brothers gave him two mushrooms, one red and one green. Mashiro was wide-eyed once more as he held the beady-eyed fungi. They suddenly began to glow before they compressed into buttons and cemented onto the silver controller. The castle gate appeared behind him in a gold glow. The schoolboy began to tear up.<br>"Thank you, Mario Brothers..." he sniffed, smiling away.  
>Peach wiped away his tears and kissed his forehead, followed by Luigi giving him a hat. It was black with a matching 'MS' written in a dark red circle. The red Yoshi stood beside Mashiro and Kokoro.<br>"You'll always be a brother to us." Mario said to him.  
>"Yoshi..." Yoshi added, tearing up too.<br>"Sayonara, Mario Brothers." Mashiro said atop his Yoshi's back and waved to them and Peach.  
>They waved back goodbye as the three entered the door. There was never a dry eye on neither plumber nor princess nor reptile nor schoolboy. <div> 


	6. The Wii Tournament-Ezra Gets Captured!

It had been a week since Mashiro encountered Mario and Luigi. Now, there was one thing on his mind: the Wii tournament. He practiced with every game there was for it, from Brawl to Mario Kart Wii. Kokoro helped him, from getting food for him to being his second player. After a few days of nothing but Wii, he was ready.  
>The next day, he and several people arrived in the school auditorium. There before them stood three TVs, each with a colored Wii. Mashiro went with an ice-blue one, that had Brawl inside. As he waited, he saw Ezra and another girl on a red Wii, holding steering wheels.<br>"Oi, Ezra!" he waved to her. She waved back with a smile.  
>Shortly after, the tournament was ready to begin. Principal Ohoya got on stage and started it.<br>"On your mark, get set, play!" he yelled.  
>Everyone did their best at their chosen game. Mashiro fought with fireballs, Ezra steered her kart, everybody tried to win. Several hours later, it was time to determine the winner.<br>"And the winner of the first annual Sienma High Wii Tournament is..." Ohoya started, then after a minute or so of silence, he announced, "Ezra Belmont!"  
>Ezra walked on stage and recieved a large cup trophy. Mashiro looked with shock and pride that his best friend won the tournament. Everyone walked out into the breezy evening, while the two met outside.<br>"Gomenasai that you didn't win the tournament, Mushy, but you did your best," she told him, "and you had a lot of fun, right?  
>"I suppose so, Ezra." he answered, a bit upset over losing.<br>"Mind if I spend the night at your place?" she asked.  
>"Sure." he replied.<br>As soon as the two reached Mashiro's home, two tall, blackish figures grabbed Ezra and took her away into the night. Mashiro yelled loud enough for Kokoro and Matsu to hear and the two dashed outside.  
>"They're taking Ezra to the park!" he said to them. He then began to run there, the jingling of the metallic controller's chains accompanying his every step. Kokoro and Matsu followed him.<br>As they entered the park, the three found the castle door encrusted with what looked like otherworldly matter. Kokoro was disgusted at the sight, but it fascinated Mashiro. The door opened like normal, with its crumbling noise. The three then entered into the blackness.


	7. Entering Brinstar

The three lurched deeper and deeper into the slimy darkness. Matter squished under Kokoro and Mashiro's feet like bugs. Mashiro felt as if this was familiar.  
>"We must in the Metroid world," he thought, "but where's Samus?"<br>A soft sound broke the silence. "Ka-choonk, ka-choonk, ka-choonk..."  
>Mashiro had a deer-to-headlights look on his face. He knew the sound! Matsu shivered in fear inside Kokoro's sleeve.<br>It became louder, almost like it was behind them. "Ka-choonk, ka-choonk, ka-choonk..."  
>The sound was quickly accompanied with Kokoro yelling, as if in pain. Matsu flew out of her sleeve and buried itself into Mashiro's pocket. He took her in his arms to see what happened; something had burned her back. The tunnel lit up with a minor dim and he saw what had attacked her.<br>It was a scrawny, dark brown, bird-like creature; its belly glowing almost dark purple. Muscles were apparent on its limbs. Its eyes were nothing more than glowing yellow orbs.  
>"It's an evil Chozo statue!" Mashiro thought.<br>He set Kokoro aside, careful not to have anything touch her sun-like burn, and began to attack with his controller. Each time he pressed the green B button, he launched a fireball, which sadly had no effect on the Chozo. He tried the red A button; all he did was jump. His new powers were useless against their attacker!  
>As he cowered, a loud "ZAP!" hit the walking statue, rendering it to its original position; sitting down with its feet flat on the floor and its claws together and open. Mashiro looked behind him to see a feminine figure holding a gun. She jumped, flipped and landed in front of the three. She had long, straight, blonde hair put in a ponytail and a blue skin-tight jumpsuit, patched with glowing pink.<br>"Don't worry, kiddo. That Chozo statue isn't gonna hurt you anymore, it's merely stunned," she said, "but it's best we get out of here. The effects will wear off soon."  
>She climbed to a doorway and helped the three up. A blue, bubble-like door opened up and the four dashed out. In the tunnel, they sat down.<br>"So. What's your name, kiddo? Hope you're not a Space Pirate spy..." the woman asked with a glare.  
>"I'm Mashiro, but my friends call me 'Mushy.'" Mashiro answered with a gentle blush, "This is my friend Kokoro."<br>"Hey. Ow..." Kokoro said gently.  
>"And this is my pet Matsu." he added, bringing out the little, fairy-winged Arceus. Matsu answered with a metallic squeak.<br>"I am known Space Warrior, Samus Aran. My one goal is to get revenge on the very Space Pirates that have killed my parents." the woman told him.  
>Mashiro looked at her with a blush.<br>"Those curves..." he thought lovesickly. Kokoro smacked his head to get him back to reality.  
>Another bubble-like door opened on the other side of the tunnel. After they reached outside, a rattail-like tentacle grabbed Kokoro. Samus zapped at a tentacle, followed by Mashiro launching several fireballs; neither the beam nor the fireballs did little damage.<br>"Mashiro!" Kokoro yelled as the tendrils retracted.  
>"It must be Mother Brain!" Mashiro exclaimed.<br>"How do you know Mother Brain? Are you working for her?" Samus questioned him.  
>"No, but it's a long story," Mashiro answered and looked around, "Where's Matsu?"<br>As the two looked, he found the little blue Arceus fending off a Metroid. Matsu attacked it by headbutting and biting. He then stung it with his tail, causing the Metroid's jellyfish-like dome to melt and kill it.  
>"Way to go, Matsu!" Mashiro cheered. <div> 


	8. The Defeat of Mother Brain

Kokoro awoke to a nauseating, horrific sight. The room resembled the inside of a human body, vessels and tissue-like material covered its walls. Vines, metal, wires and the same matter that covered the gate accented the disgusting chamber. The floor was covered with glowing acid, shallow as a kiddie pool. As she trembled to a sound similar to a heartbeat and the sound of crumbling, evil laughter broke the ice.  
>"Who's there? Show yourself!" she yelled, demanding an answer.<br>"Very well, my dear." answered an effeminate voice.  
>Kokoro's bravery slowly faded away as an eerie light illuminated a brain before her eyes. Its appearance was terrifying and ugly! A pink mass with large, thin lips and yellow bulging eyes stared at her, cackling away. Kokoro gasped at the sight and turned away.<br>"Who are you?" she asked in one last shot of courage.  
>"I'm the new ruler of Zebes, Mother Brain! And looks like I found me a new slave..." it answered.<br>"I'll never work for a monster like you!" Kokoro yelled and tried to escape, but she was delivered a stunning shock.  
>"Ah-ah-ah..." Mother Brain disagreed in a sing-song.<br>Suddenly, a hole melted into the tissue wall, causing Mother Brain to yell in pain and agony. In flitted Matsu, his skin shining from the acid's glow. Mashiro and Samus followed him.  
>"I can't believe we have to depend on a creature to lead the way-" Samus said to Mashiro.<br>"Samus, look!" Mashiro yelled, pointing at Mother Brain.  
>"Mother Brain! I thought I defeated you before..." Samus said to the monster melon.<br>"Ah, Samus Aran. I always knew we'd cross paths one last time." Mother Brain replied menacingly.  
>"Mashiro, you and your little pet should stand back. I'll get this cranial creature." Samus ordered.<br>Mashiro complied, but Matsu was too stubborn to listen to the bounty hunter and darted towards Mother Brain.  
>"Matsu!" he yelled, but the little Arceus refused to listen.<br>Just as Samus ensnared Mother Brain, Matsu darted through her with a bright, blue, laser-like light. Mother Brain screeched again in pain as she and the room melted like ice cream under the summer sun. The four watched as the room transformed.  
>"It's the Chozo chamber..." Mashiro thought.<br>"Samus Aran, you have shown your bravery and proved to be the worthy defender of the universe. You are hereby granted your Power Suit back." an ominous voice congradulated her.  
>She began to glow a piercing blue, followed by materializing into an orange and red metal suit. A similar blue light struck Mashiro's controller, giving him a metallic orange button.<br>"Guess this is where we part ways, kiddo." Samus said to Mashiro, "Someday, I'll be able to find a creature like Matsu to help me through another battle with the Metroid."  
>The wooden gate appeared behind them, glowing in the same blue light. Mashiro held out his hand, asking for a handshake.<br>"I guess this... is 'Sayonara' for us, Samus?" he asked.  
>"Yes, young warrior," the voice answered, "but you will be forever be remembered in Chozo legend alongside Aran."<br>"Yeah. What the Chozo priest said." she replied, "I do hope you find your friend."  
>"Thank you, Samus. I will." Mashiro said before following Matsu and Kokoro through the gate. <div> 


	9. The Shiitakes Reunite-Meet Ume

It was afternoon when the three left Brinstar. As they walked back to Mashiro's home, Mashiro's stomach began to growl.  
>"Are you hungry?" Kokoro asked him.<br>"Isn't it obvious?" he answered as he reached for the door.  
>"What are you hungry for?" she wondered.<br>"Maybe some-" answered Mashiro as he opened the door.  
>Before him, there were three bowls of his favorite lunch, spaghetti with mushrooms and marinara, sitting on the coffee table. As he reached for a bowl, a pair of hands touched his shoulders; a male one on his left shoulder, a female hand on his right.<br>"What about us, my little mushroom?" an older female voice asked him gently.  
>Mashiro turned his head and became surprised beyond belief; it was his parents who touched his shoulders!<br>"Momma! Daddy! I missed you!" he gave them a hug, earning two more in return.  
>His parents, Hayato and Aina Shiitake, were very busy workers, often working late. Aina was a cafe waitress while Hayato was a businessman for electronics. One day, Hayato had a minor heart attack at work, so Aina juggled staying with him in the hospital and going to work.<br>"We missed you too, Mashiro." Hayato said to his son, looking at him with his moss-green eyes.  
>Kokoro curtsied a little before the reunited family.<br>"Who's this, Mushy? One of your friends?" asked Aina.  
>"Uh... Yeah." Mashiro answered nervously.<br>Aina lightly smiled, followed by a loving hug with her son. During their lunch, Mashiro asked his father about his case.  
>"Dad, are you any better?" he asked, his lips lightly stained with marinara sauce.<br>"Hai..." Hayato answered, his voice sounding exhausted, "But we barely made it out..."  
>"'Barely made it out?'" Mashiro repeated in a shock.<br>"Two figures attacked me and your father at the hospital, posing as doctors." Aina answered with tenderness.  
>Hayato gave his son a newspaper from the day before. "Mysterious Figures Cause Hospital to Flatline" read the headline. Mashiro recognized the figures in the picture.<br>"Those were the two thugs that captured Ezra!" he thought in shock.  
>"Something wrong, my little mushroom?" Aina asked.<br>"Nothing, Momma." Mashiro answered, still a little shocked.  
>Kokoro dashed out the door and away from the Shiitake residence.<br>"Kokoro! Where are you going?" he yelled and began to follow her.  
>Later on, she stopped to catch her breath. Mashiro caught up with her, Matsu staying behind.<br>"What's wrong with you? You dashed away from my home like you were scared of us..." he asked.  
>"I know those figures. My land is attacked by an army of those." she answered in a frightened tone.<br>"And I tried to help her." added a feminine voice from the bushes.  
>"Who's there?" Mashiro asked, wondering where the sound came from.<br>Out from the bushes came a pink reptile with white stripes and a purple Daisy-like bow on its head. It looked like a crocodile, but with a small body and a large head. Its eyes glimmered crystal blue.  
>"Ume!" Kokoro yelled in joy.<br>"Master!" Ume answered.  
>"She looks like a Klaptrap from Donkey Kong." Mashiro thought, "How exactly did Kokoro tame a dangerous thing like that?"<br>"Oh, who's this young'un?" asked Ume, referring to him.  
>"Uh, I'm, uh..." Mashiro stuttered, still fearing she can attack him.<br>"Don't worry, sugar. I'm gentle." she calmed him down a bit.  
>"I-I-I'm Mashiro, but y-y-you can call m-m-me Mushy." he answered.<br>"Mushy... I like it." Ume complimented with a smile on her face.  
>"Come on, let's head back. My folks are probably worried." Mashiro suggested to the two.<br>"Guess so..." Kokoro sighed and put Ume on the ground.  
>"Sure thing, sugar." Ume agreed and began to walk, snapping her jaws.<br>~~~ When the three returned, they saw that Mashiro's parents were gone!  
>"Momma? Daddy?" Mashiro called for them.<br>"We're upstairs, hun!" Aina answered from upstairs.  
>The three walked upstairs to Mashiro's room and saw her fixing his other uniform. It was a white polo shirt and shorts with the same greay plaid design on them.<br>"Where's Daddy?" Mashiro asked her.  
>"He's sleeping at the moment." she answered, then sighed, "He works so hard for us..."<br>She then handed Mashiro his newly-repaired uniform, which he put on. Aina then gently hugged him.  
>"Oh, Mashiro, I'm so sorry for being so busy. I truly wish I spent more time with you." she apologized lovingly.<br>"It's okay, Momma." he answered, placing his Smash Bros patch on the shirt's pocket.  
>"I love you so much, Mashiro. And you're always my little mushroom." she said to him with a sweet voice.<br>"I love you too, Momma." Mashiro replied, enjoying his mother's company.  
>Kokoro and Ume watched the sweet moment from afar. That night, they curled up for the night. <div> 


	10. A Venture into the Kongo Jungle

The next morning after breakfast, Mashiro, Kokoro and the animals continued their search for Ezra. After they looked high and low, Mashiro found her standing in a dim alley.  
>"Ezra!" Mashiro yelled to her, but she didn't answer.<br>Kokoro, Ume and Matsu followed him. Without knowing, Matsu growled at Ezra like an angry dog.  
>"Matsu, what's wrong?" asked Mashiro.<br>What he saw wasn't pretty. Ezra emerged from the shadows, looking bloody and beaten. Her gray eyes were hollow and soulless, as if in a trance.  
>"Is this the Ezra you were talkin' about, baby?" Ume asked.<br>"Yeah, but- Grah!" Mashiro began to reply, but he gagged when Ezra grabbed his neck.  
>She then ripped the controller off him, bits of the chain flying everywhere! She ran off with it into another alley and through the Gate.<br>The four ran after her, heading through it and into what looked like a rainforest. Mashiro and Kokoro stopped.  
>"We must be in the Kongo Jungle..." Mashiro thought.<br>"Mushy, where are we?" Kokoro asked him, confused.  
>Mashiro couldn't help but laugh at Kokoro's new form. She had become a chimp!<br>"What's so funny?" she asked again, this time with a bit of anger.  
>"You're a monkey!" he answered amidst his laughter.<br>"Don't laugh too hard, chimp chump." Kokoro replied and pulled out her mirror.  
>Mashiro's mouth was agape. He still wore his jacket and tie, but he had become a snow monkey!<br>"Awesome! I'm like Donkey Kong!" he yelled in joy.  
>His happy shouting was briefly followed by rustling in the trees and the caws of several birds. After the sounds subsided, the two continued their path, walking like gorillas. Several minutes later, a coconut hit Kokoro on her head, rendering her unconscious.<br>"Neckies..." Mashiro thought as another came after him.  
>Luckily, he caught it and found the Necky that was tossing them. Before he could toss the sinewy fruit back, a barrel labeled 'DK' landed on it, making it fall with a raspy "Caw!" The barrel then made monkey noises as it shook.<br>Mashiro figured if he didn't toss the coconut at the Necky, he might as well toss it at the barrel. He tossed the sinewy fruit at it, causing it to explode into a heap of metal and wood.  
>Amongst the pile stood two primates. One looked like a brown gorilla with a red and yellow tie, another was a small monkey, also dressed in red and yellow, but with a Nintendo cap on its head.<br>"Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong... In the flesh and fur..." Mashiro thought.  
>"I wonder who tossed the coconut." the capped monkey asked, picking the loose nut up.<br>"Better question is, Diddy, who are those two?" Donkey Kong asked, pointing to Mashiro and Kokoro.  
>"Oh, I'm, uh..." Mashiro tried to reply, but was still washed up with amazement, "Mashiro, b-b-but my friends call me M-M-Mushy."<br>"Mushy..." Diddy chuckled at the nickname and added, "and who's your girlfriend?"  
>"Kokoro's not my girlfriend. Just a friend." he said to them.<br>"Who're you talkin' to, sugar?" Ume asked him.  
>"Klap Trap! K. Rool must've sent more!" Donkey Kong yelled and tossed a barrel at her.<br>"What wrong witchu! You messed with the wrong reptile!" Ume charged at them. Matsu stepped on her tail before she can come any further.  
>"No, no, Donkey Kong! This is just my friend's pet." Mashiro begged.<br>"Okay, Mushy." the tie-toting primate replied, chuckling at his nickname.  
>"So what brings you here to the Kongo jungle?" asked Diddy.<br>"Well, my friend Ezra took my controller and we're gonna go after her." Mashiro answered.  
>"Count us Kongs in." Donkey Kong said to him.<br>"Sure thing, DK, but, uh, how're we going through the forest?" Mashiro asked the ape with a worry.  
>Matsu flew ahead of them and landed on a crate. The four monkeys followed him, with Ume crawling right behind.<br>"Maybe Rambi can be your answer, Mushy." Diddy suggested to Mashiro.  
>"Good thinking, little buddy!" Donkey Kong congratulated the little monkey.<br>Mashiro tried to bash the crate open, but no luck; he was a complete weakling. He then climbed on top of the crate and, with a 'kablam,' busted it open. He landed on the rhino inside.  
>"Wow, I can't believe I'm on Rambi..." he thought, his eyes wide with joy, then asked Kokoro, "Need a ride?"<br>"No thanks, I can walk." she declined.  
>"I can join you, baby." Ume said and climbed onto the pachyderm.<br>"Okay. Did you guys see anybody with a plate of silver with them?" Mashiro asked DK and Diddy.  
>"We saw a Kremling running to the oil factory with something shiny in its claws." Diddy answered.<br>"Alright then. Let's charge!" Mashiro yelled as they ran to the plant.


	11. The Fall of the King

After miles of riding Rambi, the gang encountered several barrels floating in the air. Mashiro and Ume got themselves off the rhino and observed them.  
>"Oh, boy, barrel cannons! I always wanted to try those!" Mashiro thought, his eyes sparkling with happiness.<br>"We can't get Rambi through those!" Kokoro said in worry.  
>"Kokoro, you silly, I've seen this hundreds of times. We have to leave Rambi here and go through the barrels." Mashiro said and waited by his chimp comrades.<br>"What?" Kokoro asked.  
>"Just join us, sugar." Ume commanded impatiently and followed Mashiro.<br>Donkey Kong climbed in first, followed by Diddy, Mashiro, Ume and finally, Kokoro.  
>"KABOOM!" went one barrel.<br>"KABOOM!" went another.  
>After several blasts from the barrels, they finally made it to the factory. Diddy, Donkey and Mashiro took the lead as they trekked through it, with the rest following them. They soon came across a gang of Kremlings. What they stood on was a small set of stairs that looked like something from a lounge stage.<br>"Step aside, my minions!" a loud booming voice ordered.  
>"That voice... It's K. Rool!" Mashiro thought.<br>What he thought was true. There at the top of the metal stairway was a fat alligator wearing a red cape and a red and gold crown. As he stepped towards them, each footstep impacted with a loud thud. When he encountered everybody, Diddy saw something glimmering on the obese reptile's chest.  
>"Mushy, what's that?" Diddy asked Mashiro.<br>"That's the controller!" Mashiro answered and turned to the king, demanding, "Give it back now, K. Rool!"  
>"Never in your life, monkey boy!" K. Rool cackled.<br>Mashiro and the Kongs defeated each of the Kremlings, one by one. After the battle, they encountered the king.  
>"K. Rool, surrender the controller." Mashiro ordered.<br>"But I look so pretty with it on," the corpulent croc pleaded, "and you can't stop me from being- Hey!"  
>He saw that the controller went missing on his neck. Mashiro had yanked it off his neck and ran off with it. The king rolled behind them.<br>"You'll pay for stealing my trinket!" he yelled as he rolled towards them.  
>They ducked, launching K. Rool out of the factory and into the jungle. They soon followed him to the jungle and found him tied up in several vines.<br>"After you, Mr. Kong." Kokoro said to Donkey Kong.  
>"Thanks, little lady." he answered and clobbered the king away.<br>While everybody was catching their breath, a quintet of other monkeys walked towards them, led by a bearded ape with a cane.  
>"It's the other Kongs. Candy, Tiny, Lanky, Dixie, Funky and Cranky..." Mashiro thought again in joy.<br>"Who is it I heard defeated the king again?" asked the bearded ape.  
>"I defeated K. Rool, sir." Mashiro replied.<br>"Now, now, sonny, call me Cranky!" the monkey ordered and bonked Mashiro.  
>"Ow! Okay, Cranky." Mashiro agreed as he rubbed his head.<br>"Excellent job, dude. You know what, flights for you are on me." Funky added.  
>"Okay, ease down, surfie." Cranky shooed him aside.<br>"Our hero." Candy congratulated and pecked Mashiro's cheek. He briefly blushed.  
>"Hey, Mushy, accept this as a token of the Kongs' friendship to you." Diddy said and gave him a banana.<br>"Uh, thanks, guys." Mashiro looked at the fruit.  
>It soon begin to glow and compress itself into a button, like the mushrooms Mario and Luigi gave him. The door then appeared on the side of a hill and opened with the same crumbling noise.<br>"I will never forget you guys." Mashiro told to the Kongs.  
>"Same with you, Mushy." Donkey Kong agreed.<br>Mashiro left the Kongo Jungle, the adventure he had with his simian comrades forever implanted in his memory. 


	12. Matsu Finally Speaks!

It had been days since Mashiro earned his new button and got the controller back. Now he was focused on one thing only: looking for Ezra and snapping her out of her trance. As he wandered through a random town, he tripped on something and fell.  
>"Hey, watch where you're going! No resettin'!" something said, but it came out as "Bidi, bidi, bidi."<br>Matsu helped him up. Mashiro looked around for who was yelling at him.  
>"Who's there?" he asked nervously.<br>"It's me, whippersnapper!" it yelled.  
>Mashiro looked down. At his feet, there was a brown mole, dressed like a miner and carrying a pick-ax.<br>"Mr. Resetti..." he thought, then asked, "Have you seen my friends Ezra and Kokoro? They're gone."  
>"Good luck finding them, but be careful for large black figures! They can capture you and beat you for their army to take over the world!" Resetti yelled at him.<br>"You can't order my owner like that!" Matsu yelled at him.  
>Mashiro was amazed that his pet could talk. Matsu sounded mature but not very deep.<br>"Matsu, you can talk!" he said.  
>"Yeah, yeah, you can talk. Now, scram!" Resetti yelled as he left and his hole re-buried itself.<br>"How could you talk?" Mashiro asked Matsu.  
>"I don't know..." Matsu answered, then screeched in fear.<br>"What is it, Matsu?" Mashiro asked again.  
>Behind them were the figures Resetti was talking about. They were also the ones that captured Ezra and attacked the hospital his parents were in.<br>"Where are my friends?" Mashiro demanded in anger.  
>"Answer now!" Matsu added.<br>The shadowy figures stood there and, after a brief while, grabbed Mashiro and caged Matsu. Mashiro's arms could barely move under their grip, so he couldn't push one of the buttons to attack. He was later pushed into a jail cell, hitting the back.  
>"Where's Ezra and Matsu? I demand to know!" he screamed in anger and ran towards the cell's door.<br>Just before he could escape, the figures slammed it on his face, rendering him unconscious. 


	13. Unconscious on Sauria

Mashiro woke up to a mountainous, prehistoric world. As he got up, he groaned as if in minor pain.  
>"Oh, my head..." he moaned, but his pain quickly transformed into shock as he continued to feel around his head.<br>He felt dog ears that stood straight up. His hands traveled down his body and felt like his clothes were changed. He had also found a tail like that of a German Shephard's.  
>"Oh, sweet Zebes..." Mashiro thought.<br>As he looked at himself, a roar derailed his train of thought. Mashiro turned to the direction of the sound; there was a T-Rex coming at him, growling hungrily! As he cowered in fear, he heard it roar, this time accompanied with laser sounds and the ground crumbling.  
>"Huh?" Mashiro turned to see what made the dinosaur fall.<br>There were white jets and tanks with blue wings, the symbol on each of them a red fox with wings. They each opened to reveal who were inside. A blue fox and a blue falcon emerged from the jets as a brown fox and a frog crawled out of the tanks.  
>"You okay, kid?" asked the falcon.<br>"We best take him back to the Great Fox. He may not be hurt, but he still might be shaken." the blue fox suggested and picked up Mashiro.  
>"That's a good idea, Krystal, but how do we know he's not working for Star Wolf?" the frog asked her.<br>"We'll have the general look at him. Then, we'll see what we can do, Slippy." the brown fox answered.  
>"I agree, Fox." answered Krystal as she took Mashiro into one of the tanks.<br>"Alright, guys. Let's roll out." Fox ordered.  
>After his call, each of the jets and tanks flew to the Great Fox, its cream-colored exterior glimmering from the nearby sunshine of the planet. <div> 


	14. Mashiro Meets Starfox

Mashiro awoke to the sight of a hospital-like room. The same blue fox that fended off the dinosaur and took him into the tank was checking his pulse, her index and middle fingers over his wrist.  
>"A... Am I in the hospital?" he asked with a groggy tone, his light brown eyes slightly open.<br>"No, no, child. You're just in the ship infirmary." the fox answered.  
>"Krystal... I can't believe it's her..." Mashiro thought.<br>"The kid okay, Krystal?" a blue falcon asked her.  
>"Yes, Falco, he's alright. He's doing just fine." replied Krystal.<br>"Falco..." Mashiro's eyes began to open up a bit more.  
>Mashiro sat up as the rest of the team checked on him.<br>"Did he say what his name was?" the other fox asked.  
>"I don't know. 'Moxio' or something." the frog replied.<br>"It's Mashiro, but my friends call me 'Mushy.'" Mashiro corrected and in his head, he thought, "The entire Star Fox team... This is awesome!"  
>"Welcome to the Great Fox, son." said an old voice.<br>"That's Peppy's voice..." Mashiro thought, still in joy.  
>"I heard you are looking for some friends of yours." said a brown and white rabbit as he walked in.<br>"Yeah. Have you seen them?" Mashiro asked the team quickly.  
>"Nope, but don't worry. We can help you look for them!" the frog answered.<br>"Slippy, we're not trackers." the other fox told him.  
>Mashiro got out of his bed and stretched, but then he saw that the controller wasn't around his neck.<br>"Starfox, you all needed!" a bald eagle yelled to them.  
>"Care to join us, Mushy?" Slippy asked.<br>"Well... Okay." Mashiro agreed and followed the gang.  
>As they went to the head of the Great Fox, Mashiro was overwhelmed by what was going on. Everybody's names kept repeating in his head. He looked at the other fox.<br>"And that's Fox... Everybody's here!" he kept thinking.  
>He could just taste it, the defeat of their enemies, the victory after a mission.<br>They soon approached the head. As soon as they stopped, a large screen came down from the ceiling. After some static, the image of a bloodhound dressed in red appeared on it. Mashiro recognized it, too; it was General Pepper!  
>"Starfox, we had just recieved another threat from Starwolf. They seem to have stolen a piece of rare Cornerian onyx and are taking it to Andross on Venom." the hound warned.<br>"'Andross?' I thought you destroyed him for good." Mashiro said to Fox.  
>"So did we, kid." Falco said to him.<br>"Roger, General. We'll try our best to find it!" Fox confirmed.  
>As soon as the screen went black and returned to the ship's ceiling, everyone left for the boarding dock. Mashiro saw each of the jets.<br>"What are you waiting for, Mushy? That gem's not gonna find itself!" Slippy yelled to him.  
>"I know, Slippy, but where's my Arwing?" he asked.<br>Slippy took him to the back of the boarding dock and showed him an Arwing that had a patch like the one on his jacket.  
>"Just repaired." the frog said to him.<br>"Thanks, Slippy." Mashiro thanked.  
>Finally, he was ready to fly. With one thrust, the jets took off for Venom. <div> 


	15. Star Wolf Encounter!

It had been several hours when the team finally landed on Venom. It looked grassy, almost like it was terraformed.  
>"So different from Fox's previous adventure here..." Mashiro thought as he got out and looked on the formerly desert planet.<br>"Where could those bad eggs be?" Krystal asked.  
>"Hey, guys, there's your answer." Falco said and pointed to a group of red X-shaped jets in the distance, one which had a rose on it.<br>"We just need to sneak up on them and attack!" Mashiro said aloud.  
>"Mushy, keep it down. We don't want Star Wolf to know w-" Slippy told him, but he was cut off by a reptilian hand taking him away.<br>"That's Leon's hand!" Mashiro thought, his eyes widened in fear.  
>"Ah!" Krystal yelled, as if she was being grabbed.<br>Mashiro, Fox and Falco turned to see what was happening. Krystal had her arms held behind her back by a panther. A gray wolf stepped forward to the three.  
>"Wolf!" Fox said to him.<br>"I see you got a new recruit, Fox." he taunted to Fox, "Your girlfriend wouldn't be needed on the team anymore now that he's there."  
>"We'll have a beautiful life together soon, my dearest Krystal." the panther whispered in Krystal's ear.<br>"Never in your life, Panther." Krystal replied and kicked him hard in the thigh, causing him to release his grip on her arms.  
>Mashiro saw something glittering on Wolf's uniform; it was the controller! He dashed towards the canine, but Wolf slashed his cheek. Mashiro landed on the ground, yelling in pain.<br>"Mashiro, are you okay?" Krystal asked him, dashing to his side.  
>"Yeah, I'm fine, Krystal." he answered, his fresh wounds dripping with blood.<br>"Falco, could you take care of Mashiro? Fox and I will handle Star Wolf and find Slippy." she asked.  
>"Hey, I'm no nurse!" Falco protested.<br>"Come on, Falco." Fox told him.  
>Mashiro managed to get up amidst their arguement and tried grabbing the controller again. He was successful!<br>"Now, where's that onyx?" Mashiro asked Wolf.  
>"We'll never tell a mutt like you, neither to your friends." Wolf answered.<br>Suddenly, the lizard who had grabbed Slippy dashed out into a cave, yelling and sporting a black eye. Out came Slippy, his wrench glittering in the dim sunlight.  
>"What happened, Leon?" Wolf asked it.<br>"That blasted toad hit me in the eye with his wrench!" Leon yelled.  
>"Alright, Slippy!" Mashiro cheered.<br>"Will you tell us now that your comrade has been beaten?" Krystal asked them.  
>"It's in that cave, my dear." Panther replied and kissed her paw.<br>"Cut the romance, kitty cat." Falco ordered and smacked him upside his head. 


	16. Retrieving the Onyx

Mashiro and the team ventured into the cave, the light behind them dwindling into the darkness. Halfway through, they heard deep, booming and evil laughter.  
>"Andross..." Fox whispered, his ray gun at hand.<br>"It thought you destroyed him for good." Mashiro replied in a similar fashion.  
>"We thought so too, kid." Falco answered.<br>"We best stay together in case we get lost." Slippy suggested.  
>"Oh, Slip-Eeee!" Krystal began to say, but she fell through a crack in the ground.<br>"Just like in Zelda..." Mashiro thought.  
>Krystal landed into a puddle of cave water when a silvery light lit the room. As she inched to it, a large troll-like hand grabbed her! She tried to fight it, but no avail. A green fireball hit the hand, causing it to growl and cringe in pain.<br>"Mashiro, good show!" Krystal congradulated.  
>A monkey-like head turned to the rest of the team. It looked ugly and repulsive!<br>"Give us the onyx, Andross." Fox ordered.  
>"That's right!" Mashiro added, his controller at hand.<br>"You can never destroy me without destroying your planet's precious stone..." Andross warned with a cackle.  
>"We'll see about that, monkey boy." Falco snapped and zapped at the monstrous ape, but alas, he deflected it!<br>"Your lasers are useless against me..." Andross boomed.  
>"Alright, team, let's rock." Fox ordered and charged at him, everybody following him in the same fashion.<br>After a long battle, Mashiro finished off the huge primate by a Screw Attack. Andross yelled as he exploded into nothing but ash, the explosions leaving a large hole in the ground. Amidst the ashes laid a large, silvery gem that glittered in the dim sunlight.  
>"So this is the Cornerian onyx we were going after?" Mashiro asked.<br>"Correct, Mushy." Slippy answered.  
>"Enjoy your victory while you can, Star Fox, because soon we will dominate the entire Lylat-Ooh!" Wolf threatened, but was immediately interrupted by Mashiro throwing a rock at him.<br>~~~~~~ It wasn't long before the team returned to the Great Fox with the onyx. This time, General Pepper arrived on deck to the team, with Peppy following him. Krystal arrived with the team, her knee in a small bandage.  
>"Krystal, what happened?" Slippy asked.<br>"The infirmary said I had a bit of an injury, but nothing serious. I'll be fine." she answered.  
>"I heard the news about your second victory, Fox. Great work." he congratulated to Fox.<br>"Thank you, General." Fox thanked.  
>Pepper and Peppy then turned to Mashiro.<br>"As for you, son, your strength and determination has been a surprise to each of us." Peppy congratulated to him.  
>"Yes," Pepper agreed and handed him a medal, "And for that, you are hereby an honorary member of the Star Fox team."<br>"Th-thank you so much, General..." Mashiro thanked, but with tears in his eyes.  
>A brief while later, a panda in forensics wear came on deck.<br>"Sir, you better come down here. The onyx is glowing." the bear said.  
>"I am on my way, Henderson." Pepper replied and went downstairs, with everybody following him.<br>After they arrived, Henderson, a goat and a parrot gathered around the cracked and dirtied stone.  
>"We think the explosion on Venom might have damaged this precious stone." the goat said in a German accent.<br>"Sampson, an explosion would damage that rock more than just mere cracks." Slippy told the goat.  
>Mashiro looked through the onyx's mirror-like cracks and saw who he was the whole time; he really was a German Shepherd. As he poked the stone with his claw, the outside crumbled, leaving what looked like a small shiny piece of chrome.<br>"Sacre bleu! Ze onyx!" the parrot yelled.  
>"What did you do, kid?" Falco asked Mashiro.<br>"I don't know, Falco." Mashiro answered nervously.  
>"Wunderbar, the onyx in its purest form!" Sampson said and picked up the shiny chunk, "Such a rare sight..."<br>Sampson's amazement increased as it hovered from his hoof to Mashiro's controller. It cemented itself into the form of a chrome right button.  
>"The fifth button..." Mashiro stared at it as it began to glow around him.<br>"Farewell, Mashiro, and good luck finding your friends." Krystal said to Mashiro, followed by a gentle peck on his cheek.  
>"Good luck, kid." Falco added.<br>The farewells and good lucks echoed in his head as he disappeared back into the real world.


	17. Meet Tainai-Rescuing Ezra

Mashiro awoke from his long while of unconsciousness to the sight of Kokoro and a random knightly figure inside his cell. Kokoro hugged him, almost crying.  
>"Oh, Mashiro, I was so worried!" she cried in joy.<br>"I wasn't." replied a sly, smooth voice.  
>"Who's he?" Mashiro asked her.<br>"I'm her fiancee, Tainai." the voice replied in the same fashion.  
>He took off his helmet, revealing himself to be older than Mashiro, almost in his twenties, and his denim blue hair in a ponytail. He got the ponytail down, the jet black tips draping over the shoulders of his armor. Kokoro, with hearts in her eyes, swooned at the sight.<br>"Now, peasant boy, polish my feet. I want to look pretty for my delicate rose." he demanded in the same, smooth voice.  
>That shattered Kokoro's swooning. She came over and slapped Tainai over his head.<br>"My dearest!" he pleaded, tears in his eyes.  
>"I'm not standing by and treat Mushy like you do with the villagers in Logshka!" she yelled.<br>"Mushy? Such a fitting name for a peasant boy." he chuckled.  
>"Logshka?" asked Mashiro.<br>"It's my kingdom that was being attacked by the figures. Tainai had been robbing the villagers since I took him into the castle." replied Kokoro.  
>Mashiro sighed and began to polish Tainai's foot, but it was already shiny, as if it was already polished. As he began his polishing, Matsu fell into the cell, panting heavily.<br>"Mushy! Mushy!" he screeched.  
>"A fly? Don't weep, my sweet. I shall kill it for you!" Tainai said and took one of his armored boots off.<br>"Tainai!" Kokoro yelled and tackled him before he could move, "It's Mashiro's pet!"  
>"Such a pitiful animal that is." he taunted.<br>"Pitiful? I'll show you!" Matsu yelled and tried to fly fast to attack him, but Mashiro got his tail.  
>"Matsu, calm down and help us out." Mashiro whispered to Matsu.<br>Matsu flew to the bars and using his tail, unlocked the cell. They were now free!  
>"Good work, Matsu." Mashiro continued to whisper.<br>"Speak up, peasant!" Tainai yelled.  
>"Tainai, ssh. We don't wanna get caught." Kokoro whispered.<br>"For you, my sweet little petal..." Tainai whispered and pecked her cheek.  
>As they walked past a pair of shadowy guards, they heard a girl screeching, as if in pain.<br>"Somebody, help!" she cried, accompanied by a whip cracking and her yelling.  
>"Ezra!" Mashiro thought and ran to the third cell.<br>There was Ezra, chained to a brick wall, bloodied like she was when she was entranced.  
>"Oh, Ezra. You look terrible..." Mashiro said to her, gripping onto the cell's door.<br>"Oh, Mashiro. Thank Kami-sama you're safe." Ezra muttered.  
>Matsu flew in-between the bars and unlocked her cuffs, revealing further damage. Her wrists were bruised with red-violet. Matsu then unlocked the cell door and carried her out.<br>"What a contrast. Someone beautiful to an ugly peasant." Tainai said, holding the injured Ezra in his cold, armored hands.  
>"There they are. Get 'em!" ordered a shadowy guard.<br>As an entire army of guards came after the five, they found the Gate blocking the exit.  
>"Not now!" Kokoro yelled, tears forming in her eyes.<br>The controller began to glow, opening it.  
>"It's our only way out! Come on!" Mashiro said.<br>They entered just before the guards caught up with them. 


	18. Arrival at Kokiri Forest

The Gate took everybody into a sheltered, peaceful-looking forest. It had a small, clean lake, but the trees each had run-down, abandoned houses. They soon passed out under a very large and thick tree.  
>"I think we lost them." Ezra said in-between short breaths.<br>"Oh, good." Kokoro confirmed.  
>"This looks like a nice forest to live in, my dearest Kokoro." Tainai complimented and pecked her cheek.<br>"It looks like Kokiri Forest after Link returned." Mashiro added, looking at the lush field.  
>"Yes, it is, young man." replied a deep, old-sounding voice.<br>They all turned to see the moustached tree. It stood still, like it normally would.  
>"The Great Deku Tree. I thought Gohma killed him!" Mashiro thought.<br>Mashiro tried knocking on the tree. There wasn't an answer. Tainai decided to push him out of the way and began to slash at the enormous elm's root with his sword. Straight after, a branch grabbed the sword and tossed it into a boulder.  
>"You blasted oak! That was my only weapon!" Tainai yelled in rage and was about to lunge at the tree.<br>Luckily, Matsu and Kokoro held him back by his cloak.  
>Ezra tried to help, but her injuries were a bit too much for her and she fell to the ground.<br>"Ezra!" Mashiro yelled and came to her aid.  
>"I see your trouble, young man, and I know where help is." answered the voice.<br>Mashiro saw that the voice came from the tree. It was the Deku Tree!  
>"Where do I find it?" he asked.<br>"Go beyond the Lost Woods and look for Hyrule. There you will find aid for your friend." the Deku Tree told Mashiro.  
>"Thank you so much, Great Deku Tree. I will." Mashiro replied.<br>The tree then went asleep, almost like he went dead. Mashiro stared in shock and sadness.  
>"Just like when Gohma ate him..." he thought.<br>"Come on, peasant boy!" Tainai yelled and ventured towards the forest.  
>Mashiro sighed and caught up with everybody else, carrying Ezra in his arms. The woods were dark like night, with the muted sunlight being their only source of light. Mashiro began to tremble in fear since the trunks became scary faces in the sunlight. Kokoro dashed to him and helped him the rest of the way.<br>"Kokoro, why are you helping him?" Tainai asked her, waiting by a bush.  
>Matsu then poked the back of his head, making him say a weak 'Ow.'<br>"He's my friend, Tainai. I don't see you helping anybody." Kokoro replied as she walked past him.  
>Tainai and Matsu followed the three. After a long trek, the five came out of the forest and into another grassy field. Before them, in the distance, was a large castle surrounded with very small houses.<br>"We reached Hyrule. Huzzah!" Matsu yelled joyously.  
>Kokoro, Tainai and Ezra gasped when they heard him spoke.<br>"Let's see what they can for you, Ezra. Can you be able to stand up?" Mashiro asked her.  
>Ezra got on her feet gently from his arms, but she toppled over onto the field. She was still weak from the beating and whipping in the dungeon. Tainai decided to take over, hoisting her over his lightly-armored shoulder.<br>"Looks like the peasant's tired of carrying his friend. It's like he doesn't care..." Tainai taunted him some more and headed straight to the gates of the town.  
>Mashiro huffed and carried on with the journey with Kokoro and Matsu following him. <div> 


	19. The Gang Finds Hyrule-Meeting Link

At long last, they reached Hyrule. The streets were filled with the sounds of wheels squeaking and animals calling. Mashiro looked for a doctor for Ezra. After nothing from the townspeople, an old elfen man walked towards them.  
>He looked very shriveled and hunched over with two bottom teeth over his upper lip. He had tan skin, very large glasses and ash-white hair and was dressed in gold.<br>"Who's that ugly thing?" Tainai asked.  
>"That's Dr. Borville." Mashiro replied in a whisper, "Hopefully he can treat Ezra, but neither of us are Hylian!"<br>"What do you mean?" Kokoro whispered.  
>"He hates anybody who isn't a Hylian. Plus he charges them heavily." Mashiro replied in another whisper.<br>"I heard you were looking for a doctor, because I'm the town-renowned Dr. Borville. One question, are you Hylian? If not, then you'll have to pay extra." asked the elfen man.  
>"See? I told you." Mashiro whispered to Tainai, then turned to Borville, "And yes, we desperately need your help. My friend's badly beaten and bruised."<br>"Very well, then. Follow me to my office." Borville ordered.  
>"But, sir, we're not..." Mashiro replied with a sad tone.<br>"Your ears say otherwise, dear boy." Borville said, pulling out a mirror and pointing it at Mashiro.  
>Mashiro couldn't believe it. He and his friends had pointed ears like Hylians! As they followed Dr. Borville to his clinic, Mashiro was still wondering how his ears got pointed. Borville then stopped in front of a bed with natural-colored sheets.<br>"Just lay her here. I'll see what I can do with her wounds." he said in a gentle but concerned manner.  
>Tainai dropped Ezra back-first onto the hospital bed. Kokoro, Mashiro and Matsu were shocked at his deed.<br>"Tainai, why would you do that?! She's still very injured!" Mashiro yelled angrily.  
>"She isn't my girlfriend, peasant boy." Tainai replied with a sneer.<br>"Boys, boys!" Kokoro split them apart, hoping they don't fight.  
>"It looks like her wounds will take a while to treat. Why don't you go outside?" Borville asked everybody.<br>"Gladly." Tainai said and left, taking Kokoro with him.  
>"Thank you so much, sir." Mashiro thanked Borville and followed.<br>Tainai split up from the two to go off on his own, leaving Mashiro, Kokoro and Matsu to explore the marketplace. One yelled for fruit, another for pottery, their voices filling the air, but there was a vendor with a very dark stand covered with very bright-looking jewelry.  
>Mashiro was unsure on who the vendor was, so he pressed his red-orange Select button and went into a Power Suit-like perspective. What he saw wasn't pleasant!<br>"Ooh, rings. Tainai and I need some for our engagement!" Kokoro yelled dashing to the stand.  
>Luckily, Mashiro stopped her and hid by the side of a building, with Matsu following them with a zip.<br>"Kokoro, that's Ganondorf in disguise! He'll take you to his dungeon, just like he did to Zelda." Mashiro whispered, his hand on her shoulder.  
>"How'd you know that vendor's this... 'Cannon-Dork' guy?" she asked.<br>Before Mashiro could even open his mouth, someone answered for him, "He gained a new ability from a forgotten jewel hidden somewhere in Hyrule."  
>Mashiro turned and became aghast! Before him and his comrades stood an elfen male dressed in green, white and brown. His sword, shield and hair shimmered in the sunlight.<br>"Oh, my Kami-sama... That's Link!" Mashiro yelled in joy and began to shake his hand quickly.  
>"How'd you know my name?" Link asked him, swatting Mashiro's hand away and aiming the tip of his sword to his neck, "Are you sent by Ganondorf?"<br>"Don't you dare harm my owner!" Matsu yelled, his tail flared up.  
>"Matsu can talk?" Kokoro asked, her eyes wide with shock.<br>"It's a long story, Kokoro..." Mashiro said to her.  
>Link lowered his sword, letting his guard down.<br>"Link, you're my hero!" Mashiro squealed, his eyes wide with happiness.  
>"Hai, he's a fan of yours." Matsu added happily.<br>As everybody talked, Kokoro yelled, as if someone grabbed her. The boys turned and saw that the jewelry vendor got her in his clutches! His eyes were red like embers.  
>"I knew it! That vendor was Ganondorf!" Mashiro shouted.<br>"I see I'm famous around here." the vendor taunted.  
>Matsu began to charge towards the two, but they disappeared before he could hit them.<br>"Where'd they go?" Matsu asked in confusion.  
>"He must've taken Kokoro to the dungeon." Mashiro replied.<br>"That's probably where Zelda is, too. Let's go!" Link told the two.  
>"Are we stocked up on supplies? Like potions and stuff?" Mashiro asked Link.<br>"Yes, come on!" Link ordered and headed to the castle with Mashiro and Matsu following him. 


	20. Inside Ganon's Castle

Kokoro awoke to the sight of a dark, cold brick wall. To the left of her was covered with steel bars, like a prison cell. As she went towards the bars, two guards in black armor blocked her way. Her cellmate was blond with elfen ears, her dress brown and dull pink from the dirt.  
>"Oh, how did I get captured again? This is the third time on this stupid journey..." Kokoro said angrily.<br>"Silence, prison slave!" one of the guards demanded and banged one of the bars.  
>Meanwhile, Link and Mashiro went inside a distorted castle, where they were greeted by darkness.<br>"Link, do you have a lantern or a candle to help us see?" Mashiro asked, Matsu on his shoulder.  
>"I have a lantern and we packed oil." Link replied, pulling one out.<br>"But we have no heat source!" Matsu panicked, his wings flapping quickly.  
>"I got this, Matsu." Mashiro said, then turned to Link, "Link, you might need watch out."<br>"What are you going to do?" Link asked sternly, getting away from the lantern.  
>Mashiro pressed the B button on the Controller, launching a green fireball into the lantern, thus lighting the room in a soft yellowish glow. There were several statues and buttons.<br>"Just like in Zelda!" Mashiro thought and began pushing a random statue onto a nearby button.  
>The door at the end budged half an inch. He continued to do four until he realized Link was supposed to be the hero.<br>"Link, why don't you help me?" Mashiro asked.  
>Link dashed to Mashiro and helped with the remaining statues until the door was fully open. Upon entering the next room, the door slammed, blowing out the fire and leaving the boys in the dark. Matsu relit the lamp with a blue laser, showing an enclosed room with nothing but a large button with two engravements of fish. Link stepped on it, his sword held high. As soon as Mashiro stepped on it to get a closer look, a quartet of armored, octopus-like creatures came after them.<br>"The Hikkun and the Nokken!" Mashiro thought in fear.  
>The boys attacked all four, rendering them into armored balls. He grabbed one of the handles on it.<br>"Mashiro, I might need your help!" he called to Mashiro.  
>Mashiro ran to Link, grabbed the other Hikkun handle and the boys pulled until a Rupee appeared. One by one, they defeated the monsters, thus making the door open. The sounds of cries for help came through the door like a water hose.<br>"That must be the dungeon!" Mashiro said to Link.  
>"How did you know that?" Link inquired.<br>"It's a long story." Mashiro specified and headed down to the dungeon.  
>After a long flight of stairs, the boys finally reached the dungeon. It was barely lit, cold and the floor was covered in hay. The boys remained silent as they looked for the girls, so they couldn't be seen. They then heard clanking, as if someone was picking a lock.<br>"That must be Kokoro." Mashiro thought and followed the sound.  
>"Where are you going?" Link asked quietly.<br>"I hear lock-picking!' Mashiro shouted, then covered his mouth to keep quiet.  
>The room was silent for a brief moment, but the ice was broken by the sound of clanks, like metal banging together. The guards were coming! The boys were ready to fight. Fireballs were thrown, swords clashed and Screw Attacks filled the entire room.<br>"You help the girls, Mashiro! I'll handle these guards!" Link ordered as he was engulfed with the blackness of their armor.  
>"Gotcha, Link!" Mashiro answered and picked the rest of the lock.<br>With a loud 'clank,' the lock came off and Kokoro and her cellmate were freed! As the three dashed out of the dungeon, Link defeated the guards and followed them. The four closed the dungeon door and locked it, the guards' sword blades stuck through the wood. Before long, the exit was a stone's throw away from them.  
>"Oh, good. At this rate, we'll be able to get out of here, get Ezra and head home!" Mashiro thought happily and dashed towards the door. <div> 


	21. Defeating Ganon

As he headed out, the once-sunny village became red and black, the stands now piles of cloth and wood. The trees were leafless and dead. The others caught up with him.  
>"This is Ganon's work. Everyone follow me." Link ordered in a calm but stern tone.<br>The dead grass crunched under their feet as they trekked through the ruins of the marketplace and a soft, eerie breeze swept through them. After several minutes observing the wreck, soft, maniacal chuckling lightly broke the silence.  
>"I know you're out there, Ganon. Show yourself!" Link shouted, sword out and ready to fight.<br>"Me too!" Mashiro added, standing beside his green and brown-clad hero.  
>As the chuckling got louder and louder, a pig-like figure materialized before the gang.<br>"It's Ganon... And in the flesh!" Mashiro thought as the figure stared at him coldly.  
>"Very well, Link. Surrender the Triforce and I shall leave your little village..." Ganon negoiated.<br>"He would never hand the Triforce to you, Ganon!" Mashiro snapped at the boar, defending Link.  
>"You dare stand up to the great Ganon?" Ganon yelled at him.<br>"Yes, I do." Mashiro replied sternly and glared at him.  
>"Then you shall die!" Ganon said and zapped Mashiro, making him hit the ground.<br>"Mashiro!" Kokoro yelled and got her arms around his toasted body.  
>Kokoro's cellmate ran to the pair.<br>"Blond hair, long dress, elfen ears... It's Zelda!" Mashiro thought before closing his eyes.  
>"He has a pulse, but he's hurt from the burns. Take him to Dr. Borville and he can help you. I'll help Link with Ganon." Zelda told Kokoro before joining her savior.<p>

* * *

><p>When Mashiro regained consciousness, he woke up to the sight of Ezra in a cast to his left and Kokoro by his right.<br>"Ooh... What happened? Did Link win?" Mashiro asked groggily.  
>"Yes, he did, my boy." Dr. Borville answered wrapping his left arm.<br>After his job was done, there was a knock at the office door.  
>"Oh, just another Hylian with an injury. I'll get it." Borville said and opened it.<br>"Mushy, I'm so glad you're okay." Ezra said and gave Mashiro a gentle hug.  
>The doctor returned with a pot and a sheet of paper.<br>"My boy, it looks like the king wants to see you." Borville said and gave the paper to Mashiro.  
>"But sir-" Mashiro started.<br>"No need to thank me, my boy." Borville interrupted, thinking Mashiro was going to thank him.  
>"It says the king's coming over here!" Mashiro shouted.<br>"You didn't need to yell." Borville told him.  
>Afterwards, there was another knock at the door. Borville answered it and this time, in walked Link, Zelda and the king.<br>"The king... I must be dreaming!" Mashiro thought in joy.  
>"You must be this 'Mashiro' I have heard about from Link." the king said.<br>"Yes, sir, I am." Mashiro replied and bowed before him.  
>The king laughed it off and told him, "You don't bow before me. Anyway, I have delivered a reward for you on behalf of Hyrule and its people."<br>As Mashiro waited, the king pulled out a large purple diamond from a small black bag and handed it to him.  
>"I can't believe it. A purple Rupee!" Mashiro's eyes twinkled and his smile grew.<br>Suddenly, Tainai barged in and took it away from Mashiro's hands.  
>"Thank you, old man." he said in a selfish tone.<br>"Where did you go, Tainai?" Kokoro asked him, "I've been worried sick!"  
>"Oh, I explored." Tainai answered, his eyes still ogling at the purple jewel.<br>Before his eyes, it began to glow and hover out of his hand and through Mashiro's jacket. Mashiro opened his jacket and there on his Controller, was a purple right button. The gate soon reappeared in the office.  
>"What is this, Mashiro?" asked Link.<br>"It's another long story." Mashiro replied.  
>"Well, so long. Appointments are on me!" Dr. Borville yelled.<br>"Farewell, guys! I'll remember you!" Mashiro yelled as he and the gang entered the gate.


	22. The Group Return Home

It was night time when Mashiro and his friends returned from Hyrule and into the forest behind his neighborhood. The moonlight shone through the trees and houses like a spotlight.  
>"Ah, home sweet home." Mashiro sighed happily and ran to his home, Matsu flying beside him.<br>"So, uh, Ezra, where do you live?" Kokoro asked Ezra as they followed him.  
>"Oh, Mushy and I are next-door neighbors since we first met in elementary." Ezra replied with a friendly smile.<br>"These homes are pitiful. Where's the nearest palace?" Tainai complained, looking at the neighborhood.  
>"Tainai!" Kokoro told him and slapped him.<br>"Gomenasai, my dearest..." Tainai said with a saddened tone.  
>Mashiro opened his house's back gate and screen door, with Kokoro following him and Matsu. He called out for his parents, but no answer. He then came across a note on the coffee table.<br>'Look in the garage, Mashiro. Your father and I left you something while you and your friends were playing. We love you very much, my little mushroom. Mom.' it read.  
>He dashed downstairs to the garage before Kokoro could reach him. A scream of joy gave him away for her and she went downstairs to see.<br>"What is it, Mushy?" she asked in concern.  
>"Look, Kokoro!" Mashiro exclaimed in joy.<br>There, in the garage, was his bike, painted metallic blue and silver. Behind its seat was a silver-painted wire basket, his Mario-covered schoolbag inside. At the front of the bike, there was a headlight in the shape of his patch. Mashiro was in love with it!  
>"I can't wait to ride this to school tomorrow!" Mashiro exclaimed happily, followed by a soft yawn.<br>"Well, maybe we can crash here tonight." Ezra suggested.  
>"That's a great idea, Ezra. You, Matsu and I can sleep in my room and Kokoro and Tainai can have the guest room." Mashiro agreed and headed upstairs.<br>As they climbed the stairs from the garage, Tainai still picked on him.  
>"Faster, peasant boy! I need my sleep!" he demanded rather loudly.<br>"Tainai, please. My parents are sleeping." Mashiro whispered in a angered tone.  
>"I don't take orders from peasants like you!" Tainai yelled.<br>After the second flight of stairs to the rooms, Mashiro reached his bedroom door. On the door was his name decorated with stickers of mushrooms, Triforces and Pokeballs. In his room, he got dressed in his Mario pajamas and pulled out a Peach sleeping bag for Ezra. He then looked at a mirror and thought of the adventures he had during the past few months.  
>"I've helped Mario, Luigi, Samus, Link and Fox defeat their adversaries... Maybe I'm destined to be a hero just like them!" he thought in pride.<br>Afterwards, Ezra came in.  
>"Oh, Ezra!" Mashiro said in surprise.<br>"What took you?" Ezra asked.  
>"I was just... thinking." he answered in a bit of a rush.<br>"Oh." Ezra said as she slipped into the bag, Matsu sneaking in a large Kirby pillow under her head.  
>Meanwhile, Kokoro and Tainai were comfy in the guest room.<br>"I just don't know why you would treat Mashiro like that, Tainai. He's not a peasant and his parents are very nice." Kokoro argued.  
>"He wants you, Kokoro. I just know it!" Tainai said.<br>"He is just a friend!" Kokoro replied, slapping his head and pouted under the cherry blossom-printed comforter.  
>"What am I gonna do with him...?" Kokoro thought with a sigh and fell asleep, Tainai watching over her with an evil sneer in his lips. <div> 


	23. Mashiro Hears the News!

The next afternoon at school, Mashiro hid the Controller under his shirt, hoping that neither the black figures nor Reno would get it.  
>"Last thing I want is for Reno to take it and play Keep-Away with it!" he worried.<br>Keeping the silver-plated rectangle invisible was a challenge for him. The lunch bell rang and Mashiro dashed to the cafeteria, hungry as a horse. He brought out his Pokeball-colored lunchbag and opened it. Out came a yellow and brown Thermos, some leftover melon and a can of his town's local tea, Hinohana Sweet Black.  
>"Can't wait to taste Mom's mushroom minestrone!" he thought, his lips watering.<br>As he was about to drink his first cup, Reno went behind him and BAM! He slapped Mashiro on the back of his head, causing him to spill his soup.  
>"Reno...!" Mashiro yelled, his shirt coated with the tan broth of the soup.<br>"What up, mushroom boy?" Reno cackled and walked away.  
>Mashiro sighed at the table in relief.<br>After he was done and heading back to class, a pair of arms grabbed him from behind a door and pulled him into a very dark room. He found himself in a dimly-lit room with seven people. They looked horrible, disheveled and scared. Their clothing looked torn and ragged, the bright colors on them lightly stained in blood.  
>"Who are you people?" Mashiro asked in a serious tone.<br>"We're refugees from Logshka. They just attacked our village..." one of the men groaned, as if he was sick.  
>"Who?" Mashiro asked, wanting to know what 'they' referred to.<br>"Curse those Shadow Soldiers! They took my little Bopbika and I... never saw him again..." a stout woman cried.  
>"We met two others at the hospital, but those Soldiers attacked every patient in there!" another man added in paranoia.<br>"Wait! What did the two other people look like?" Mashiro asked with a concerned look.  
>A skinny teenage girl pulled out an old photograph and gave it to him. In it had him at six years old with a younger Aina and Hayato. Mashiro gasped at the photo; these 'Shadow Soldiers' were the ones who tried to kill his parents and destory Logshka. He felt like he wanted to cry, but couldn't.<br>"Their objective is to destroy any living thing because they believe our people destroyed their kind..." the girl told Mashiro.  
>Mashiro was shocked! The statement sent chills down his spine and made his heart sink. He had never seen so much cruelty and violence, even through the traumatized eyes of the villagers. His shock and fright quickly become vengeance and bravery.<br>"Who leads these 'Shadows?'" Mashiro asked, the tone in his voice very serious.  
>"It's a man... under the... name of..." the girl told him, but her sentence was cut off by her passing out.<br>"Fedra for that, the Shadows cut off our supplies before we left Logshka. The leader has a 't' in his name. We lost him before we could make it out." the stout woman finished.  
>"Tainai..." Mashiro thought, "No wonder he hated me!"<br>He then gave the villagers the remainder of his food and a spare bottle of water before leaving the room. 


	24. Entering Logshka

At noon, he and everybody at school left the grounds. Mashiro petaled home on his Arwing bike and came in. Matsu flew out of Mashiro's bag and followed him.  
>"Tainai? Tainai!" he called angrily until he came across the guest room.<br>There on the blossom printed bed laid an injured Kokoro bound in rope and with cat-like scratches all over her.  
>"Kokoro, what happened?" Mashiro asked in concern while cutting her ropes.<br>"Tainai attacked me before he left. I thought I was going to die!" she answered faintly in worry and pain.  
>After she was free, Kokoro took Mashiro to the woods behind his neighborhood.<br>"Kokoro, what're we doing here?" Mashiro asked.  
>"I want to show you something." she replied and opened several bushes.<br>There, before the three, laid a beautiful village surrounded by a river and small hills. Across the river was a fancy stone bridge. In-between the further hills, several colorful spires poked up, indicating a castle. Mashiro's mouth was gapping open at its majesty. Both his and Matsu's eyes were wide in its beauty "Kokoro, what is this place?" Mashiro asked, still aghast.  
>"This is Logshka..." Kokoro answered in a sad and grieving tone.<br>"What's wrong?" he asked worriedly.  
>"Walk with me." she ordered softly.<br>As the three headed downhill to the village, the beauty of the village and castle began to fade away, revealing a dark scenario. Homes had several bricks off their grout and wooden stands were consumed by flames. The smoky air was filled with cries of children and villagers begging for help. It was a complete nightmare!  
>The castle didn't look any better. Its bright colors were dulled by smoke and its spires were heavily chipped, even destroyed. This made Mashiro's heart sink deep and his skin pale.<br>"I can't believe Tainai would do this... I should've broken up with him when I had the chance." Kokoro muttered, feeling like she was going to cry.  
>"Kokoro, don't beat yourself up. You didn't do this." Mashiro told her.<br>Kokoro flinched from Mashiro and ran inside the dead castle. He followed her and couldn't believe his eyes.  
>The inside of the castle looked intact and clean, unlike the exterior of it. There were portraits of kings and knights lining the walls, patterned with banners of royalty.<br>Mashiro saw with Kokoro a very stout man with a full light-brown beard. He was dressed in blue and bronze clothing, his navy blue cloak lined in fur. Mashiro bowed before him, realizing it was a king.  
>"Kokoro, what is this peasant doing in my castle? Did he give you these scratches?" he asked her, his voice booming like a cannon.<br>"He's a friend from... far away. And Mashiro didn't do this to me." she answered, sniffling.  
>"It's true, your Majesty." Mashiro added before getting up.<br>"Then who did this?" the king asked.  
>"I did." Tainai answered, smiling and laying on the king's throne.<br>"Why would you do this to me?" Kokoro asked him angrily.  
>"Not just her, but the village too!" Mashiro added.<br>"I want the kingdom all in my image... The villagers shall bow before me and my Shadow Soldiers. If they get out of line or try to rebel, they're dead on the spot!" Tainai said evilly.  
>"Guards, take him away." the king ordered.<br>Several suits of armor arrived, but they burst open, revealing the Shadow Soldiers. They wrapped their arms around the king's limbs and floated away.  
>"Help me, sugarplum!" he yelled to her.<br>"Daddy!" Kokoro yelled, but Tainai was holding her and Mashiro's wrists so they wouldn't help the king.  
>As soon as he let them go, the castle door closed on them.<br>"Don't worry, Kokoro. I can let him go, in exchange for your hand..." Tainai haggled to Kokoro.  
>"I'll never marry you, even at the expense of my father's life. We're through, Tainai!" she yelled.<br>Tainai became saddened and then infuriated by Kokoro's statement. In a rage, he stuffed the two into a wooden box and pushed it into the castle moat. 


	25. The Gang Hits Kanto!

Several hours later, the trio had finally reached dry land. The wooden box Tainai nailed them in became softer from the water, making it weak and breakable. With a hard kick, Kokoro smashed it open and released her, Matsu and Mashiro. The only problem, Matsu was missing!  
>"Matsu! Matsu?" Mashiro called until something bumped his hip.<br>He lifted his jacket and uncovered a blue and gray ball on his belt.  
>"It's a Heavy Ball... Is Matsu in there?" Mashiro asked and threw it.<br>The ball let out a white beam. The beam turned into Matsu, but he wasn't tiny like a dragonfly. He was huge! His fairy-like wings resembled enormous black and white butterfly wings; his entire body looked more rugged and detailed than normal.  
>"Matsu, you look just like Arceus and Butterfree!" Mashiro exclaimed in joy.<br>"He'll have to be our transportation. I need to find my father!" Kokoro said in worry.  
>Matsu kneeled like a horse, allowing the two onto his back. He then took off, flapping his new wings quickly as if he was regular size.<br>During the group's flight, patches of green and brown became more apparent of where they were.  
>"This looks like Johto... Are we in the Pokemon world?" Mashiro thought as he enjoyed the view.<br>After a while, Matsu landed gently and kneeled again, letting the two off. Before them were nothing but bushes and trees.  
>"Great, we're lost!" Kokoro shouted in exasperation and anger.<br>After she said that, there was rustling in the bushes and Mashiro and Matsu were ready to battle. The thing making the sound emerged from them walked out from its hiding place.  
>"What is that thing?" Kokoro asked Mashiro angrily. <div> 


	26. Mashiro Encounters Pikachu

The thing looked like a yellow rabbit with a long bolt-shaped tail. Its ears were tipped in black, half of its tail was brown and it had bright red cheeks.  
>"Matsu, hold your fire." Mashiro told Matsu.<br>Matsu kneeled down, obeying his orders. Mashiro kneeled down and beckoned the creature towards him.  
>"Mashiro, what is that creature?" Kokoro asked, beginning to let her guard down.<br>"I know this creature. It's Ash's Pikachu." Mashiro whispered to them, still looking at the critter.  
>After a few moments, the Pikachu got close to Mashiro and sniffed his fingers like a curious cat.<br>"I can't believe Pikachu is smelling my fingers..." Mashiro thought as it continued.  
>However, it peered up at Mashiro and ran off.<br>"What was wrong with it? Did your fingers smell bad?" Kokoro asked.  
>"No. He probably thought I was a member of Team Rocket because of my clothes." he replied.<br>"They're bad people, I tells ya!" Matsu freaked.  
>"Matsu, you don't want anybody to notice us, right?" Mashiro whispered sternly.<br>The three decided to follow the Pikachu through the forest until they came across a sight. There were three kids and a strange egg eating on a shaded picnic table by a seaside cliff.  
>One of the two boys was stirring what looked like creamy soup. He was dressed in a green vest, an orange shirt and blue jeans. He also had tan skin, spiky brown hair and always closed eyes.<br>With them was a girl that had her bright orange hair in a sidetail. She wore a yellow tanktop and a pair of denim shorts held up by red suspenders. The strange egg waddled about like a toddler, giggling and smiling.  
>The last kid caught Mashiro's eyes the most. He had a white shirt with a dark blue vest over it, light blue jeans and matching sneakers. Most of all, he had a red hat with a weird mark on it.<br>"That's Ash, Brock, Misty and Togepi! Are we in the first movie?" Mashiro thought in shock.  
>Mashiro stayed in the hedges, but the smell of the soup began to tempt him. He crept out of the bushes, trying not to surprise them, when he tripped. With a loud splash, he landed facefirst into a small tidepool. <div> 


	27. Mashiro Meets Ash and the Others

"What was that?" asked the girl, surprised by the noise.  
>"It might have been a Goldeen." the tan boy answered, placing a lid on the soup.<br>He wandered by the rocks and saw Mashiro with bits of rotting seaweed on his face.  
>"Are you okay?" he asked and helped Mashiro up.<br>"Yeah..." Mashiro answered with a groggy groan and spat out some seaweed aside.  
>Mashiro looked at his helper.<br>"I can't believe it... It's Brock!" Mashiro thought in joy.  
>After a while of Mashiro introducing himself to the trio, Kokoro and Matsu emerged from the bushes. Kokoro sat with them and Matsu just layed down.<br>"So you're from Cerulean City, Mushy?" the girl asked him.  
>"Yeah, it's such a great town. I've seen your Horsea at the local aquaruim, Misty!" he replied, finishing his lunch.<br>After they packed up, a large orange and cream dragon flew over them and swept everything off, carrying a brown messenger bag. It landed softly on the ground in front of everybody.  
>"A Dragonite?" Mashiro thought as he watched the dragon fly.<br>"Careful, watch where you're flying." he warned it and the Dragonite gave him a dark gray card and a pale sea green envelope.  
>The card had a silver Pokeball lined in black and with a bright blue center.<br>"The Dragonite? The lunch? The cards? We ARE in the first movie!" Mashiro thought as he stared at the cards.  
>"Mushy, are you alright?" asked one of the boys.<br>"Yeah, I'm okay, Ash." Mashiro replied with a smile.  
>He turned around, gave the cards to Ash and a hologram appeared on the gray card. It was a woman in a chocolate-colored dress and a tall matching hat.<br>"Nurse Joy!" Mashiro thought as he watched it.  
>"Greetings, Pokemon Trainers. I bare an invitation." said the woman in an entranced tone.<br>"She's tiny, but very pretty." complemented Brock.  
>In the speech-like invitation, the hologram explained that her master has arranged a battle with random trainers. As she spoke, another card slipped out of the envelope. It was red with a wide white hourglass shape. It was also printed with two checkboxes and the words 'Yes' and 'No' written on it. Mashiro picked it up and was met with shock.<br>"This was the card Mewtwo sent." he thought, his eyes wide with fear.  
>"Pikapi? (Something wrong?)" Pikachu asked Mashiro.<br>"No, no, Pikachu." he reassured and handed the card to Pikachu.  
>After handing the checked card over to the Dragonite, the gang resumed their journey. Kokoro walked with Mashiro, his skin a bit pale.<br>"Is something wrong?" Kokoro asked him.  
>"Yes, but I couldn't bare the news to Pikachu." he whispered.<br>"What is it?" she asked in worry.  
>"I don't know..." he replied. <div> 


	28. The Storm

After a while, the clouds began to darken. The sweet scent of rain lingered in the air and thunder was heard from far away. Worse yet, the ocean waves were growing bigger and bigger.  
>"Sounds there's a storm coming, guys. We might need might need to shelter." Matsu announced to everybody.<br>"Matsu's right! It's a good thing we're going to the airport." Brock confirmed.  
>After running from the storm, they finally made it to the airport almost soaked. Inside, there were several trainers with their Pokemon. The air was filled with people talking, the 'shing' of Kingler claws and 'caws' of Spearows.<br>Mashiro had just sat down when he heard, "I have an annoucement!"  
>He followed the voice and saw it was a police officer. She had teal hair and her uniform was light blue coated in blue and red.<br>"That's Officer Jenny." he whispered to himself and headed into the crowd.  
>After a warning, everybody went outside and released their Pokemon. Soon, the raging sea became filled with Dewgongs and Gyaradoses. Pidgettoes and Fearows were soaring through the ravaging air and the savage rain.<br>Mashiro hopped onto Matsu and helped Kokoro up. They were in the sky when Ash and the others arrived.  
>"I'm sorry, guys! There isn't enough room on me to take you!" Matsu shouted through the high winds.<br>"It's okay, Matsu! We'll find someone to take us!" Ash assured as Matsu took off. 


	29. Everybody Arrives at New Island

It was four hours of wind and rain before the trio landed on New Island. As they dashed through the still-savage storm, the woman from the hologram greeted them at the door. Her eyes were dark teal and soulless.  
>"Do you have an invitation?" she asked in the same monotone as the hologram.<br>"Here it is, miss." someone replied and showed her the invite.  
>It was Ash and the others! Mashiro and Matsu sighed in relief.<br>The woman led everybody into a very large room. It had a very pristine waterfall that ended with a large pool and a long, winding staircase. There was also a long dining table that had stumps for chairs, both made of stone.  
>"This is the dining room where Mewtwo arrives!" Mashiro thought as his sense of worry began to return.<br>Matsu began wading in the pool with multiple water Pokemon before he got scared off by a Gyarados. Kokoro nibbled on a piece of fruit from a bowl on the table. Mashiro began to tell Misty what was wrong with him.  
>"Am I the only one worried about this?" Mashiro asked her.<br>"What's there to worry about, Mashiro? Your friends are having fun." Misty replied with a smile.  
>That was where Mashiro froze. He didn't want to tell Misty about how he knew about Mewtwo's future presence.<br>"I... I don't know." he replied in a calmer tone.  
>"Then there's nothing to worry about." she added. <div> 


	30. Mashiro Sees Mewtwo-Matsu Gets Cloned!

Suddenly, the room went dark, the only light being a long bright-blue beam cascading through the stairs. The woman who led them entered the room.  
>"You are about to meet my master." she spoke, "The time has come for your encounter with the greatest pokemon master on earth."<br>Matsu then turned into defense mode like a dog seeing a ghost and stood beside Mashiro. Pikachu ran up Ash's shoulder and Togepi ran to Misty like a toddler.  
>As everybody prepared for battle, a tall figure descended from the beam. Its eyes were glowing brighter then the beam itself. As it subsided, the figure looked like a gray and purple bipedal reptile with stubbed horns. The light in its eyes faded and revealed its coldness.<br>"That's Mewtwo!" Mashiro thought in fear.  
>"Yes, the world's greatest Pokemon master is also the most powerful Pokemon on earth. This is the ruler of New Island and soon the whole world, Mewtwo." the woman finished.<p>

* * *

><p>One by one, everybody's Pokemon were defeated, even Matsu.<br>"As the victor, I now claim my prize... Your Pokemon..." Mewtwo smiled evilly as he summoned several black balls.  
>The balls were black with two purple stripes and an eye outlined in gray. Everybody dashed as their Pokemon were captured in the balls. Matsu destroyed a few with his tail.<br>"Such an interesting Pokemon... Body of a Legendary type, yet wings like a Bug type... I think I'll clone it..." Mewtwo thought with the same smile.  
>In an instant, Matsu was captured by one of the balls! Mashiro was crushed, but he converted his sadness and heartbreak into anger and determination. He charged after Mewtwo, tears still dripping from his eyes.<br>"How dare you capture Matsu!" Mashiro screamed at the top of his lungs.  
>He launched several fireballs and Screw Attacks at the creature, only to have Mewtwo reflect them and hit him.<br>Mashiro laid there, breathing heavily. His face was covered in dirt and fresh scrapes and his uniform became dirty and torn. Mewtwo hovered over the fallen hero and placed its foot over his head.  
>"You must have a weak mind to try and hurt me after witnessing your friends doing the same..." Mewtwo taunted.<br>"You... captured Matsu...!" Mashiro replied, grabbing its foot. "He was... my closest friend!"  
>Mewtwo chuckled heartlessly at the comment.<br>"Friend? Humans and Pokemon should not be together... And now... Yours must pay..." it added.  
>Mashiro increased the grip on the creature's foot, making it yowl in pain. He then grabbed a flying ball, awaiting its destination.<p> 


	31. Matsu's Clone-Mashiro's Battle

After a small flight, Mashiro couldn't believe it! He arrived in a laboratory with a large machine. The machine had a spiral shell and tentacles like a nautilus, but with a screen and a keyboard. He then saw three figures.  
>One was a woman dressed in white and black with a red, cut-up R. Her hair was magenta and went into a spiral. The other was a man dressed in the same colors, but it was different than the woman's. His hair was short and bluish purple. With them was what looked like a white and brown cat, but it had no nose. It had a gold striped coin between its ears.<br>"That's Jessie, Meowth and James! They must've activated the machine!" he thought.  
>His thinking was interrupted by a loud, straining groan.<br>"It's Ash! I gotta help him!" Mashiro thought and ran towards the machine.  
>He saw Ash emerging from it with a couple of balls in his hands.<br>"Don't worry, Ash! I got you!" Mashiro yelled and pulled Ash out of the machine.  
>After a brief struggle, the boys finally got Pikachu, Matsu and the other Pokemon free. However, the struggling destroyed the machine and released the clones.<br>Matsu's clone emerged last. It looked like him, but it had blue stripes that resembled lightning bolts. Its wings were a pale purple like Venomoth wings and looked shredded. It then screeched mechanically.  
>"Matsu's clone..." Mashiro stared in horror.<p>

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Mewtwo was intimidating Kokoro, Joy and the other trainers.<br>"Humans, you have served my purpose. I am sparing your lives... For now..." it spoke as it opened the stadium doors.  
>Outside the once-calm skies became stormy once more. Thunder and lightning clashed left and right. After a loud explosion, Mewtwo's clones emerged from the smoke and stood side by side like militant soldiers.<br>"Behold. With Pokemon and humans eliminated, the clones shall inherit the world." Mewtwo added.  
>"You can't do this." a voice disagreed from the smoke.<br>"We won't let you." another added.  
>Out from the smoke came Ash and Mashiro, walking beside each other and leading the army of the original Pokemon. Everybody became happy to see them again.<br>"It is useless to challenge me... Especially for your friend..." Mewtwo taunted.  
>"It's not gonna end like this, Mewtwo. We won't let it." Ash replied with a strong tone.<br>After Ash turned his hat backwards, he charged at it, but he was tossed to the other side of the stadium.  
>"I got this, Ash! This is for what you did to Matsu!" Mashiro yelled as he launched several green fireballs at Mewtwo.<br>It deflected them, but Mashiro was prepared. He pressed the chrome 'Up' button on the Controller, creating a bright-blue hexagon around him.  
>"Fox's reflector..." he thought as it extinguished the flame.<br>Mashiro tried the yellow 'Down,' making him slap the ground around Mewtwo like Donkey Kong. It worked a lot better, yet it made little damage.  
>"You are not using your powers well... Perhaps I should take over them along with the world..." it spoke and surrounded him in a blue aura.<br>Mashiro and the Controller hovered several feet from the ground. Mewtwo removed the Controller from his neck and teleported it to its free hand. The others watched helplessly as he was then launched across the stadium.


	32. Mashiro Meets Mew-The Fallen Shiitake

Mashiro opened his amber eyes and saw his friends and the army of Pokemon staring at him from afar.  
>"I hope I'm not dead..." he said, getting up and rubbing his head.<br>As he sat up, he saw something pink, soft and hollow underneath him. It resembled a balloon, yet it felt like an air mattress. Amidst his confusion of where it came from, a baby pink, almost white, cat-like creature flew over and popped it. He landed flat on his butt and the thing giggled.  
>"It's a Mew..." Mashiro thought as he watched it fly.<br>While it was bouncing on another bubble, Mewtwo popped it and sent the Mew flying a short distance. Mashiro slid down the wall and landed back on the stadium floor. He made a mad dash towards his friends and the other trainers.

* * *

><p>While Mew and Mewtwo began to battle each other, the others followed suit. Mashiro and Ash watched from the sidelines, witnessing the fights like wrestling matches. A sick feeling came over the boys and the other trainers.<br>"I can't take this! Matsu's gonna get himself hurt!" Mashiro announced and ran to the battlefield.  
>"Mashiro!" Ash shouted, but Mashiro ignored his call.<br>As he made a sprint towards the field, Mew and Mewtwo had charged their auras and they were ready to launch. Suddenly, Mashiro was caught in the crossfire and with a loud boom, he turned into stone!


	33. Revival of Mashiro-The Gang Leaves Kanto

Every Pokemon stopped their fighting and stared at his stone body. It glimmered in the lights of the stadium like carved obsidian. Kokoro rushed to his body and began to cry.  
>"I'm so sorry, Mashiro... If you hadn't found me, none of this could've happened..." she bawled.<br>Pikachu wandered to Mashiro's body.  
>"Kakachu, pikachu. (Kokoro, let me try.)" Pikachu ordered gently.<br>"What did he say?" Kokoro sniffed.  
>"He said 'let me try.'" replied Ash, who had just arrived on the scene.<br>Pikachu tried shocking Mashiro, but to no avail. He tried again and again with no sign of Mashiro getting up. Soon, Pikachu's eyes began to fill up with tears. He and his trainer didn't just lose a friend, they lost a brand new part of their family. The other Pokemon, both original and the clones, began to cry.  
>As their tears twinkled in the arena and onto his body, their power revived Mashiro from his rocky demise.<br>"Wha... Where am I?" he muttered.  
>"Pika!" Pikachu rushed to his arms and embraced him.<br>"Mushy!" Kokoro and Matsu yelled as they followed suit.  
>Mew and Mewtwo watched from afar as Mashiro was being hugged by his friends.<br>"A human sacrificed himself...to save the Pokemon..." he spoke in a speech-like manner, "I pitted them against each other. But not until I saw them put aside their differences did I see the true power they all share deep inside. I see now that the circumstances of one's birth are irrelevant. It is what you do with the gift of life that determines who you are."  
>Suddenly, the clones, Matsu's too, began glowing blue and levitated out of the stadium. Mewtwo hovered to Mashiro and landed in front of him.<br>"What do you want?" Mashiro asked in a mean tone.  
>"I just... wanted to give you something... for helping me see the error of my ways..." he replied and returned the Controller.<br>"Wow... Uh, thanks, Mewtwo..." Mashiro thanked awkwardly and put it on.  
>Mewtwo gave him a smirk and flew off. As Mashiro waved farewell to the clones, a white light engulfed the entire stadium! Everybody was back at the airport!<br>Mashiro was back in his seat and looked at his Controller. It was dotted with rainwater, but no button.  
>"We're back at the airport... I can still remember the battle..." he thought.<br>"What's wrong, Mushy?" asked Kokoro.  
>Just as Nurse Joy announced free shelter at a Pokemon Center, the sky became a bit calmer. As they looked, Mew flew around for a brief moment.<br>"Did you guys see that?" Mashiro asked, being the only one who witnessed it.  
>"What was it?" Ash asked him.<br>"I didn't see anything besides the clouds." Misty answered.  
>"He might be a bit dehydrated. Good thing I have some water handy." Brock suggested and offered Mashiro a bottle of water.<br>After saying 'thanks,' Mashiro took a small swig of water. As the group continued their trek, a bright light appeared in front of a Pokemon Center, forming the Gate.  
>"What's that strange door?" Ash asked Mashiro.<br>"It's my way home." Mashiro replied.  
>"Really? You're going home?" Misty asked, "But you and your friends just got here!"<br>"Pika-pika, chu? (You're coming back, right?)" asked Pikachu.  
>"We'll see, Pikachu." Mashiro replied and petted Pikachu on his head like a dog.<br>"It's really great to meet you, Mashiro. I hope we can be friends forever." Ash said.  
>"I hope so too, Ash." Mashiro replied as he, Kokoro and Matsu left Kanto. <div> 


	34. Return to Logshka-Tainai Tricks the Gang

The three arrived back in Logshka, but the damage got worse than when they were last there. The smoke was gone, but there was ash and burnt cloth all around. The villagers stared at them, their eyes soulless like Ezra and Joy.  
>"This is just horrible..." Kokoro said softly.<br>"Kokoro, look." Mashiro said and pointed to what looked like a schoolhouse.  
>The schoolhouse was really a church, but it looked pristine compared to the rest of the village. The white paint was chipping off, the stained windows were losing their color and every inch of metal had been rusted. Suddenly, they heard a voice.<br>"Kokoro?" it called from inside.  
>"Daddy?" Kokoro replied and entered the church.<br>Inside was the king, stripped of his crown and cape, tied the altar and gagged. Kokoro untied the cloth around his mouth, making him exhale hard.  
>"Thank goodness you're here, honey. Tainai attacked me and tied me here." the king said in a relieved tone.<br>With a small fireball, Mashiro burned the rope off the king's hands. Before they could leave, the door mysteriously closed and locked itself! Try as they could, Mashiro and Kokoro couldn't get the door open.  
>"Why can't this open?" Kokoro asked aloud.<br>"Because without you, this kingdom shall fall in the hands of the Shadow Soldiers and under my cold rule..." Tainai replied.  
>"Tainai, where are you?" Mashiro asked angrily.<br>It turned out Tainai was disguised as the king this whole time! He emerged from the costume like a jumpsuit and tossed it aside, landing on a row of rotting pews.  
>"I demand to know where my father is!" Kokoro yelled.<br>"I'll never tell. We're through, remember?" Tainai taunted.  
>Kokoro had enough. She dashed to Tainai and slapped him hard, leaving a large imprint on his face.<br>"You hit me..." he said, rubbing his cheek.  
>"Yes, now are you going to comply to my orders?" she asked in an angered tone.<br>"No, because now..." Tainai said, opening the door and flicking a match, "you and Peasant Boy shall fall with your old rule. Your legacy shall wither away and bloom in the hands of my kind..."  
>He tossed the match onto the king suit and it erupted into flames! He was lighting the church on fire with the two inside! <div> 


	35. The Villagers Strike the Church!

Meanwhile, back in the village, the people emerged from their ruined homes and destroyed stands and heard faint crackling. An old woman looked from a stone window and saw the church was smoking.  
>"The church is on fire!" she yelled loudly.<br>The notice was heard from a few of the villagers, who told a few more themselves. Pretty soon, everybody was aware of the news and they marched to the grounds, baring pickaxes, pitchforks and axes.  
>Inside, everything but the aisle carpet was on fire. Tainai stared maliciously at Mashiro and Kokoro who were on the only safe pew.<br>"Just two little words, Kokoro, and I shall stop this mean fire." Tainai bargained.  
>"No, Tainai. It's over! You are mean, bossy and just a horrible person! You kidnapped my father, you beat me and you tease Mashiro!" Kokoro mouthed him off.<br>"Extinguish this fire or we can fight." Mashiro suggested.  
>"Fine by me." Tainai said with an evil smile and drew a very long sword.<br>Mashiro got up and with his Controller, he was ready.

* * *

><p>Outside, the village people saw that smoke was emerging from under the door.<br>"We need to get the princess out of there!" said a farmer armed with his pitchfork.  
>"We can't open or chop down the door because it causes a backdraft." added a woman who had a pickaxe.<br>After a while of planning, they saw Mashiro fly out of the church and slam onto the ground. He had slash marks on his face and his clothes. Tainai emerged from the flames victorously. Mashiro weakly got up, his anger and determination burned brighter and stronger.  
>"I will not rest until you're defeated, Tainai! This kingdom will never fall into youir hands." Mashiro called, his fresh wounds dripping blood.<br>"Who's going to help you, peasant boy? Your little bug? Your so-called 'heroes?' Or maybe your mommy and daddy?" Tainai taunted like a bully.  
>"Me." Kokoro said, emerging from the fire.<br>The villagers saw what the princess had done to herself. Her skirt had been torn on both legs, there were patches of ash on herself and her clothes and her long hair had been put in a ponytail. She walked to Mashiro and stood there.  
>Soon, everybody in the village gathered around them, from the youngest child to the oldest elder. Tainai tried to stand his ground.<br>"You're going to have to defeat my Soldiers, too." he warned with a chuckle and summoned fifty black figures.


	36. The Fall of Tainai

The villagers and Kokoro charged at the soldiers. Men stabbed them, women punched them, children kicked them. One by one, the soldiers were defeated.  
>Tainai dashed inside the blackened church and weeped at his loss. Mashiro followed him inside.<br>"This is impossible... Shadows can't be defeated..." he muttered under his breath.  
>"I heard that." Mashiro added.<br>Tainai turned around and saw him standing there, his eyes bright with anger.  
>"Tainai!" Mashiro yelled.<br>"Ah, Peasant Boy. Truce?" Tainai asked, holding out his hand.  
>"Never until you apologize to those good people whose lives you've scarred. Even took!" Mashiro argued.<br>Tainai then grabbed Mashiro and twisted his arm hard.  
>"You don't wanna cooperate, huh? I have the solution for that..." Tainai whispered in Mashiro's ear as he pulled out his sword and aimed it at his back.<br>Mashiro knew he was going to be killed, so he had to act fast. With a swift kick at his feet, he tripped Tainai, his sword spinning away from them. Mashiro dashed to the sword, grabbed it and swung at Tainai. It went through him with no effect.  
>Mashiro closed his eyes and the memories of his game heroes supplied him with extra strength. With a rather loud screech, he pierced Tainai through his abdomen. Tainai sprawled on the church's floor, covering the wound with his hand.<br>"Okay... Peasant Boy... You win this round..." he muttered, blood emerging from his mouth.  
>He handed Mashiro the sheath to his sword.<br>"Take this... as an apology to my abuse... to you and... your friends..." Tainai muttered with not much life left.  
>Mashiro stuck the sword inside it as he saw his worst enemy fall before him.<br>"...And to the village... Mashiro..." Tainai muttered before finally passing on. 


	37. The Victor and the Proposal-Wedding

Outside, the villagers and Kokoro awaited the real victor. They stood in a large crowd.  
>"I hope Mashiro's okay." Kokoro thought in a worried tone.<br>After a while, Mashiro emerged with Tainai's sword draped across his chest. The villagers went wild in joy. They were finally happy to see their hero defeat their worst living nightmare. Kokoro was overjoyed and ran to hug him. The real king, stout and jolly as can be, came from out of the crowd and looked at him.  
>"Mashiro Shiitake, is it?" he asked.<br>"Yes, your majesty." Mashiro replied and bowed before him.  
>"No need to bow before me, my boy." the king said, "You have vanquished the worst nightmare this village has ever seen. I would like for you... To stay here in Logshka."<br>Mashiro didn't know what to do. His friends and family were in Hinohana, but he liked Kokoro a lot.  
>"I'll stay, as long as my family and friends come." Mashiro suggested.<br>"We'll send a carriage to this Hinohana of yours." the king accepted.  
>"Kokoro?" Mashiro asked her.<br>"Yes, Mushy?" she asked back.  
>"Throughout this whole journey, I've fallen in love with you. So Kokoro..." Mashiro asked her, in a proposing pose, "Will you..."<br>"Marry you? YES!" Kokoro was overjoyed with the proposal and kissed Mashiro as the villagers cheered and the king applauded.

* * *

><p>After a whole month spent having his wounds healed, Mashiro was ready to go to the rebuilt church and marry Kokoro.<br>He had quite a handsome ensemble. His prince suit had different shades of green and brown like Link. His cape was yellow and silky like Mario's and his boots were silver and gray like Fox's. His crown was large, metallic orange and accented with rubies like Samus.  
>Matsu had a gold Arceus-like wheel around his waist with four different gems on it. One was red, one was yellow, one was green and the last stone was silver. His wings looked sparkly just for the occasion.<br>Kokoro's dress was skinny like Zelda's dress and had flowers stitched all over it. Her hair had been braided, curled, made into a ponytail and decorated with several beautiful flowers. A gold tiara accented with turquoise and peridots nestled on top of her bangs.  
>Surrounding them were not only the smiling faces of the villagers and the king, but also the ones of Ezra, Reno and his parents. As Mashiro marched through the aisle with his new wife, his mind was flooded with the memories of his video game heroes.<br>"It all started through that 'Mario World'-like gate..." he thought.  
>"Mario... Luigi..." He thought of himself and the brothers first rescuing Kokoro and Toad from Bowser.<br>"Samus..." He thought of himself and her saving Kokoro from Mother Brain.  
>"Donkey Kong..." He thought of himself, Kokoro and the Kongs grabbing the Controller from K. Rool.<br>"Fox..." He thought of himself and the team retrieving the Cornerian Onyx.  
>"Link..." He thought of himself helping Link rescue the girls.<br>"And Ash..." He thought of himself sacrificing his own life, in place of Ash, to save his comrades.  
>"Thanks, guys, for helping me get this far and for teaching me how to be a real hero..." He thought blissfully as he boarded the ox-pulled carriage to the castle.<p> 


	38. Prince Mashiro's Stressful First Day!

The next morning, his first day of being called Prince Mashiro, wasn't very great. Kokoro had went with the kingdom's newly-recruited army to help surrounding towns ravaged by Tainai's wrath. After breakfast, almost everything was stacked on top of him! From trying a new outfit for himself to picking an ambassador, it was just too much.  
>After all that work, Mashiro flopped onto his new bed, which had Zelda accents all over it. Nearby, Matsu crashed on his Pokeball-shaped bed, also exhausted.<br>"Is this what all the heroes go through after the game's over?" Mashiro thought as he closed his eyes.  
>He had taken a brief nap until there was a knock on the door. He woke up and opened the door. It was one of the maids with his school uniform. She had freckles and her mahogany hair in braided French pigtails.<br>"Your uniform, Master Shiitake." she said in a Texan accent, placing it on a chest by the bed's foot.  
>He looked through his freshly-washed and dried uniform. The jacket and shirt shined from the sunlight and both felt soft. His gray plaid pants and red tie were warm and fuzzy. The item that caught Mashiro's eye was his Smash Circle patch, no longer made of paper and tape. It was now a button made of red and black rhinestones that shimmered in the sunshine.<br>"Also, Princess Kokoro has arrived." the maid added.  
>"Thanks, Amabel!" Mashiro said in a rush as he dashed downstairs.<br>He reached the bottom of the stairs just as Kokoro was about to leave the door.  
>"Koko!" he stopped her.<br>"Oh, hey, Mushy. What's up?" she asked.  
>Her horseback outfit was just as pretty as her wedding gown. It was magenta and pink with bleeding heart flowers sewn on them. Around her neck was a purple cape with a large and very fancy 'K' stitched on it.<br>"Can you take me with you? Please?" he asked like a little kid with his mom.  
>"I'd like to, but who will take over Logshka while I'm gone?" she asked.<br>Realizing that he would take the riens of the kingdom, Mashiro sighed and replied with a soft 'Okay.'  
>With a wave of goodbye, Kokoro was back on her horse, off to find another town to help recover. <div> 


	39. Dr Mashiro-Ending

It was nighttime when Mashiro looked out a large window in the dining hall. He looked depressed from missing Kokoro a lot and exhausted from another day of work. The Controller clinked and jingled on his neck.  
>"I had a dream of becoming a hero... Just like Mario, Link and Fox..." he thought, "I thought I could just get the girl and win, but..."<br>He looked at the Controller. It was almost full save for the 'Start' button. He took a deep breath before heading to a table to eat some dinner.  
>The next afternoon, he was playing his new 3DS when he heard kids cheering and men yelling. Mashiro turned off the handheld and ran downstairs. It was the village children wanting to meet him and the guards backing them away.<br>"But mister, we wanna see him!" whined a little boy.  
>"I'm sorry, but the castle grounds are off-limits!" one of the guards commanded.<br>"Aww..." the kids all whined before walking away.  
>Mashiro was shocked. He'd never turn away from a little kid, let alone a crowd of them. He was about to talk to them when a butler grabbed him by the collar.<br>"What're you doing, Yapol?" he asked in an angered tone.  
>"But sire, these are just rambunctious children. If you were to take pity upon them, it will be an endless stream! If they don't live in the castle, they can't be here." answered another guard.<br>Mashiro went upstairs to change his clothes. A while later, he came back in his uniform with Matsu flying beside him.  
>"If the village can't come to me, I'll come to them." he demanded as he dashed to the door, but only Matsu passed them, sitting on a gatepost.<br>The guards stopped Mashiro by crossing their spears.  
>"Sire, what are you doing? You can't go outside the castle grounds!" one guard warned.<br>"Just watch me." Mashiro replied, fireballing their spears in half and walking to the village.  
>"Let him go, boys." Yapol told the guards, grabbing their shoulders.<p>

* * *

><p>Mashiro and Matsu wandered through the town and saw everybody working on rebuilding everything, from their homes to their stands. Everybody was busy. Something suddenly caught Mashiro's eye.<br>Some of the people were hiring at a hospital next door to the church. Mashiro wanted to be a doctor since he was little, so he got the job. Left and right, he helped people from a simple bruise to multiple fractures. The townspeople were in awe that their prince was volunteering at the hospital.  
>After his first day working there, he came the castle grounds with Matsu, watched the townspeople and gently smiled.<br>"I know the heroes go through obstacles like me, but they not just save one person, they save entire worlds..." he thought.  
>"And maybe I've found my own way to be a hero to everybody, Matsu..." he said to Matsu, who squeaked mechanically, "For the good people in Logshka, I can do this."<br>"And this is how I'll be a hero!" he exclaimed.  
>After he spoke, the Controller under his shirt began to glow. Mashiro pulled it off and it hovered briefly away. The buttons began to glow. Different colored silhouettes of Mario, Link, Fox and the others appeared around the Controller. They absorbed into the 'Start' button spot. It then came back in Mashiro's hands.<br>"As proof of the eighth hero, representing all colors of emotion..." he thought as he looked at the new button.  
>It was not a solid color like the other buttons, it had the colors of them all in one.<br>"...My rainbow 'Start!'" he thought in amazement as he stared at the multicolored striped button.

* * *

><p>Kokoro had just returned to town to see everybody standing in line in front of the castle. While showing the town minister around, she saw a young girl come out the front door with her leg bandaged up.<br>"I wonder why these blessed souls are lining up here instead of the hospital." the minister wondered until he saw Mashiro giving them check-ups.  
>"The prince? Why is he doing medical work here?" he asked angrily.<br>"Please, Father Shish. It's alright." she reassured him with a soft chuckle.  
>"That's the way of my... No, Logshka's prince..." Kokoro added, looking at a painting they had received for their wedding day.<br>The painting had Mashiro twirling Kokoro around with Matsu flying around them, all in their royal garb.

* * *

><p>The morning sunshine leaked through Mashiro's bedroom. He awoke surrounded in his issues of Nintendo Power scattered about, his Link-covered bed and holding a plush of Pikachu in his arms. He got up with his harvest gold hair in a mess and his Mario pajamas twisted and coming off.<br>"That was a really weird dream..." he thought groggily as he got dressed, applying his patch last.  
>After breakfast, he grabbed his Mario-covered schoolbag and his Pokeball lunchbox. With Matsu and his Game Boy Advance hidden in his bag, Mashiro put it in his bike's basket and pedaled off to school.<br>"I wonder what would happen if my dream became real, Matsu." he asked Matsu as he rode.  
>Matsu squeaked mechanically in reply.<br>"I guess I'll never know..." he contemplated as he reached the school grounds.

_**The End**_


End file.
